Alpedrinha is a historic village in Cova da Beira which, in 1406, saw the birth of Cardinal D. Jorge da Costa. Was an unavoidable figure in Portugal and in the Vatican. Between 1480 and 1509, under his influence, the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa was created. He had enormous power in the Holy See, having been elected Pope, which he declined in favor of Julius II. In addition to him, D. Jorge da Costa accompanied the lives of 3 other Popes – Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII and Alexander VI. The “Cardinal de Alpedrinha” was also the mentor of the Treaty of Tordesillas. Deep ruby in color, with aromas of ripe fruit, light compote, green hints and a touch of cloves. On the palate it is structured, with present and persistent tannins. Stage: 6 months in French oak and 2 years in vats.
Vineyard culture in the Cova da Beira region is a very ancient reality, dating back to the time when the Romans occupied the Iberian Peninsula. As proof of this, a figurine of an Atlantean Canephorus, dating from the 2nd century A.D., was found in a vineyard called “A Forca”, near Fundão, along with millstones and Roman bricks. Recently, seeds were found in Quintas da Torre (in the municipality Fundão) dating from the end of the 3rd century/beginning of the 4th century and its DNA is being studied. In this village, counterweights from old presses were found, already with an industrial dimension for the time.
