Manifesto of the "Vignerons d'Europe 2009"

The vigneron will personally look after his or her vineyard, winery and selling.
The vigneron’s wine is living and gives pleasure. It is a product of the vigneron’s area and
thought, and an authentic expression of a culture.
The vigneron considers the consumer as a co-producer.
The vigneron looks after and moulds the landscape while respecting the biodiversity and
culture of their area, which the vigneron reveals and enhances.
The vigneron as a farmer assumes responsibility to preserve and improve the fertility of the
soil and balance of ecosystems.
The vigneron undertakes not to use artificial or synthetic chemicals or organisms and aims to
protect living things.
The vigneron observes limits in all endeavors, seeking an optimum and never a maximum.
The vigneron takes responsibility for all his or her activities affecting the environment,
consumer health and the fortunes of the local community and land.
The vigneron undertakes to create and encourage relations with other vignerons, farmers,
food producers, cooks, academics and research institutes, educators and citizens from both
the local community and around the world.
The vigneron practices transparency: vignerons say what they do and do what they say.
The Vignerons d’Europe meeting in Florence requests national and European authorities to
not obstruct the vignerons’ work through regulations that are appropriate for industrial
approaches but not for their particular situations.

Vignerons d' Europe - Florence the 7th.

This is the only picture I have from the market we did in Piazza Santissima Annunziata (Florence), after the reading and approval of the Manifesto of Vignerons d' Europe 2009, in Palazzo Vecchio. It was great day!
And I also have 3 pictures from Florence! I forgot to charge the camera's battery, a big, big mistake in Florence, one of the most beautifull cities of the world!!!

Vignerons d' Europe in Italy, 5th-6th December, in Montecatini Terme, organized by Slow Food




November's colors in Quinta de Segade, one of the vineyards where we produce the organic grapes of the Vinho Verde AIR and MICA.

These pictures were taken the weekend of 28 and 29th November. We spent the weekend there doing a workshop about biodynamic organized by João Castella / Agridin. I love the colors of November...



























Pego vineyard in Mouraz

Some pictures by Valter Vinagre from the day we applied the Biodynamic preparation 500P on the soil














































La Renaissance des Appellations au Luxembourg




Tasting in Tinto - Heusden











Uma parte da história, por António Lopes Ribeiro

Nasci em Dezembro de 1970, numa casa de granito construída pelo meu pai, António Ribeiro, num terreno herdado pela minha mãe, Maria Fernanda, outrora pertença do meu avô que por sua vez o tinha recebido do meu bisavô. A pedra utilizada na sua construção foi, ela própria, arrancada nesse terreno. Segundo conta o meu pai, hoje com mais de 80 anos, a casa e os armazéns demoraram dois anos a construir. De uma terra inóspita e praticamente inculta nasceu uma bela construção e vários terraços perfeitamente aráveis, onde viria a nascer a vinha do Outeiro. Conta também que, nesse ano, em virtude da grande preocupação com a obra, perdeu praticamente toda a colheita de vinho...

Mesmo assim ainda teve tempo para plantar uma nova vinha. Nasci sobre uma adega, com cubas de betão, lagar e tonéis. Em Dezembro os vinhos ainda se ajeitavam no interior do vasilhame e os seus aromas atravessavam o tabuado que separava a adega do meu quarto. Sou o quarto filho, irmão de Adriano, Hélder e Jorge.