António Vilela Areias, the pioneer
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, António Vilela Areias stood out for his agricultural and business activity.
His ties to Póvoa de Lanhoso went beyond Quinta do Couço and left marks that remain in family and local memory.
But it is through wine that his name is given a new life today.
1889: from Quinta do Couço to the Paris Universal Exhibition
Wine production has been part of the history of Quinta do Couço for several generations.
In 1889, António Vilela Areias sent the estate’s 1888 red wine vintage to the Paris Universal Exhibition.
At a time when distances were greater and the world seemed much further away, a wine made in Póvoa de Lanhoso crossed borders and reached Paris.
More than 130 years later, that story continues to inspire us.
The return of the António Vilela Areias name
In 2022, the name António Vilela Areias returned to wine with the creation of the current brand.
The initiative was born as a tribute from the great-great-grandson, António Abílio Ribeiro de Carvalho, who currently runs Quinta do Couço, and as a way of continuing a family legacy deeply tied to the estate.
The first wine sold under the brand was a Vinho Verde DOC made from the Loureiro grape.
Since then, António Vilela Areias wines have received national and international awards, taking the name of Quinta do Couço across borders once again.
Quinta do Couço
Quinta do Couço is located in the parish of Louredo, in the Union of Parishes of Campos and Louredo, in the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso, district of Braga.
It lies in the Alto Ave, within the Vinho Verde Demarcated Region, Ave sub-region.
The temperate, Atlantic-influenced climate and the granite soils are defining features of this land and contribute to the characteristic freshness of the wines produced here.
The vineyard
The estate is mainly planted with the white grape varieties Loureiro and Arinto/Pedernã, together with the red variety Padeiro.
All the work begins in the vineyard.
The grapes are grown under Integrated Production (PRODI), complemented by practices aimed at more sustainable agriculture and a responsible relationship with the land.
Because preserving the quality of the vineyard also means preserving the future of the estate.
