João Clara

Algarve

This Algarve estate in Lagoa was founded by João Clara in 1974, who sold the grapes to the local co-operative.  In 2006, his son Joaquim João seized the opportunity to start making their own wine; João Clara was one of a handful of Algarve estates to break away from the co-operative and make wine under the guidance of António and Joana Maçanita.  The dynamic winemaking siblings are renowned for their ability to dust down diamonds, especially endangered traditional grapes.  Joana, who continues to consult, is a huge champion of Negra Mole, a traditional workhorse variety which, though unique to the Algarve, was fast disappearing.  At the vanguard of Negra Mole’s renaissance, João Clara produced the Algarve’s very first 100% Negra Mole red in 2011, demonstrating its thoroughbred potential.