Revela, Dao Encruzado 2024

100% Encruzado 

Sourced from young vines planted in 2018 on granite and schist at 350m above sea level in the towns of Nelas and Terras de Senhorim. Fermented 50% in stainless steel and 50% in used barrique. Aged for 11 months on fine lees in 50/50 stainless steel and used barrique. 4700 bottles produced. VEGAN.

Mariana Salvador has spent her entire life amongst the vines. Her career is one of determination, focus and a little bit of serendipity. After studying viticulture and winemaking in Lisbon, she spent several years working in the southern hemisphere. Her exposure was broad yet focused as she spent time working in small family wineries such as Pikes in Claire Valley, Australia as well as household names like Villa Maria in New Zealand. Her experience in both Australia, New Zealand and furthermore in Chile provided her with a deep knowledge of many different winemaking approaches used across the globe. As a young, talented, hungry winemaker, she returned to Portugal to start her own winemaking journey.

She first began as winemaker at Comporta winery in Alentenjo, where she became very close with Nuno of Miro do Ó. Nuno introduced Mariana to many iconic Portuguese winemakers and some of the most heralded wines produced in the old-world. Through these experiences, she began to assess and refine her own palate and winemaking philosophy, applying more reductive and long lees aging strategies to the wines she produced. Mariana slowly began to build her reputation and became head winemaker at Textura wines. It was at Textura where she honed her style and laid the framework for her own project.

Revela translates to “reveal”, and it’s Mariana’s objective to reveal the best of what Dão has to offer. She believes that you can only naturally translate what varieties and terroir reveal by working painstakingly close with a handful of small, thoughtfully farmed vineyards. While she is currently planting her own vineyards for the future, she deliberately works to champion historic vineyards and varieties while supporting respected, wise farmers, who would otherwise be forced to sell their fruit, or worse, replant to more “popular”, high-yielding varieties. The wines at Revela are all produced keeping the addition of sulfur to a minimum by moving the wine as little as possible, working reductively, and keeping the wine as long as possible on the lees. Revela is Mariana’s love letter to the Dão, to Portugal, and to wine.