Quatro Cravos, which produces high-quality wines with the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of Bairrada and the Geographical Identification (GI) of Beira Atlântico, has arrived in the Algarve and promises to make a difference with premium products that will surprise lovers of the most exclusive sparkling wines, reds and whites. It's in a refined, futuristic space in Almancil that you can find (and taste) award-winning wines that will be a hit on any table. Quality grapes, unique soils, state-of-the-art technology, dedication, effort and passion for the vineyards are some of the factors that make each bottle of wine produced by Sociedade Agrícola Quatro Cravos unique - a wine company created in 2014 and conceived by Alberto Cravo, chairman of the board of directors, to "modernise a centuries-old family business and scale up to a new entrepreneurial dimension".
The Algarve is now part of the company's commercial strategy, as it saw the region as "an opportunity to expand the business in an area with strong tourist potential", businessman Alberto Cravo explained to JA. "Here we're presenting a different, innovative and localised concept. The aim is to get customers to discover the story behind each wine and each grape variety. We're going to have wine tastings precisely so that people can come and discover Bairrada's wines, which turn out to be unique treasures to discover. Anyone who wants to stop by the wine cellar at the end of the day for a glass of wine is very welcome too," challenges the owner of the space, located on Estrada Nacional 125 (in the Faro-Almancil direction).
Quatro Cravos' focus is on innovation, with the presentation of the world's first sparkling wine produced in a can, the use of two effervescence methods in the production of natural sparkling wines, the planting of traditional Bairrada grape varieties in soils that enhance the quality of the grapes produced, as well as the modernisation of oenology in the winery, to create "high quality still and sparkling wines", says Raquel Dias, oenologist at Quatro Cravos. Bairrada is known for its clay and limestone soils, which are mixed with sandy soils with little clay and which produce wines with a low alcohol content and high acidity. According to the winemaker, these factors "allow winemaking to produce high-quality gastronomic wines that are excellent with traditional dishes". The characteristics of the soils in the regions where the Quatro Cravos wineries are located produce "distinctive wines, with the balance and aromatic sophistication of the interior and the lightness and vigour of the coastal areas", adds Raquel Dias.
A estratégia competitiva da marca, segundo Nuno Santos, diretor executivo, passa pela “utilização de castas tradicionais bairradinas para produzir vinhos de qualidade, com o ‘terroir’ conjunto de fatores que influenciam o desempenho da vinha e a qualidade da uva a desencadear características gastronómicas únicas, de forma a sermos competitivos nos nichos de mercado que valorizam o vinho como companheiro harmonioso das refeições”.
Na loja de Almancil, na secção de tintos, predominam as castas locais Baga, Touriga Nacional e Tinta Roriz que originam vinhos taninos vincados e estruturados para serem fáceis de beber quando jovens, sem perder a sua capacidade de envelhecimento. Nos brancos, predominam as castas Bical, Maria-Gomes e Cercial, que fazem nascer vinhos frutados para serem fáceis de beber quando jovens, mas que ganham complexidade quando guardados, um ou mais anos, em garrafa. Como não poderia deixar de ser, encontrará também uma vasta gama de espumantes frescos e ácidos, mas com o equilíbrio que distingue os espumantes da Bairrada
Quadro Cravos is a project with an innovative concept in the wine sector that brings together three wineries: Adega Cravo with wines from the 'Pé de Ganso' and 'Barrelo' brands, Adega Original which produces the 'Original' and 'Positivo' nectars, and PositiveWine, recognised for its 'Flutt' and Vivo (canned) ranges. This is the only wine shop in the Algarve that exclusively sells just one brand of wine from one producer.
In the Algarve, Quatro Cravos is looking to invest in wine tourism to meet the growing needs "of groups of tourists who avoid mass tourism, as well as to respond to the regional demand for facilities that provide a premium service when organising social and corporate events," concludes Alberto Cravo. The wine cellar is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10.00 to 13.00 and 15.00 to 18.30.
