Juca Loureiro 2024

Constantino Ramos, born in Vouzela in the Dão region, graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Coimbra. He initially worked in the field but eventually left to pursue a Master’s in Oenology at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, following his true passion. Later, he met his mentor, the renowned winemaker Anselmo Mendes, with whom he continues to work to this day.

Constantino’s personal project began in Monção, where he discovered old vineyards in Riba de Mouro and Tangil, in the northern part of the Monção municipality. From these vines, he crafted his Zafirah. His goal was to make an elegant, graceful, and approachable wine that conveyed freshness while evoking the historic “Viana Wines” of the region. This low-intervention red wine pays tribute to the celebrated Monção reds that were exported to England and Flanders in the 14th and 15th centuries. An artisanal creation, it is “carried in the arms” through every stage of its production — unhurried, meticulous, and with minimal, precise interventions that respect the wine’s natural character.

He also couldn’t resist producing an Alvarinho that reflects his personal interpretation of the grape. Using a small vineyard near his red wine plots, planted at around 250 metres above sea level, he created his Afluente, seeking to capture tension, austerity and vibrant acidity.

Juca is his most recent project, a tribute to the people and traditions of Riba de Mouro, where wine has been made since the medieval period. This long-forgotten, sparsely populated region and the vineyards Constantino discovered are breathtakingly beautiful.