White Wine

A Cerca dos Frades

Verdelho 2022, 75cl

DOP Pico

A Cerca dos Frades

Verdelho is an emblematic and cherished grape variety on the island of Pico, where it has been present for hundreds of years, representing a style of wine that once conquered the world. It produces perfumed, fresh wines with great aging potential. This wine results from a careful selection of the best grapes from Cerca dos Frades, in Santa Luzia, on the north coast of the island of Pico.

Vinification: Selective manual harvesting in 25 kg buckets, gentle pressing of whole bunches, and decantation after 12 hours of sedimentation. It was fermented with indigenous yeasts under temperature control and aged 15% in used French oak barrels and 85% in vertical stainless steel tanks. Ready to drink but gains complexity with bottle age.

Enologist: Paulo Machado.

Gastronomy: Fresh, saline, and elegant, it pairs perfectly with grilled fish, salads, seafood, and cheese.

Allergens information

Contains sulphites.

A Cerca dos Frades

Initiated by the company’s founder, Tito Silva, in the heart of the Lajido de Santa Luzia Vineyard on Pico Island, the A Cerca dos Frades project is rooted in an emotional connection to a parcel of land that belonged to his grandfather, where, as a child, he took part in a small family harvest.

The year 2015 marked the beginning of the vineyard’s revitalization, with 3 hectares planted with the Terrantez do Pico, Arinto dos Açores, and Verdelho grape varieties. In 2018, and now with 15 hectares, the first wine, A Cerca dos Frades Blend, was launched. The following year saw the release of the first single-variety A Cerca dos Frades Terrantez do Pico. In 2020, the range expanded with a second single-variety, A Cerca dos Frades Verdelho, and with the 2021 harvest, the first A Cerca dos Frades Arinto dos Açores was born.

Today, with nearly 20 hectares of native Azorean grape varieties, A Cerca dos Frades offers wines that honor the legacy and terroir of the region.

“We deeply believe in the legacy of our ancestors, who heroically managed to make ‘wine from stone,’ the wealth of this land. Since the beginning, our purpose has been to value our grape varieties, our land, and our traditions, creating wines of excellence.” – Tito Silva