Monte da Casteleja

Algarve

Born to a French father and Algarvian mother, Guillaume Leroux studied oenology and viticulture at Montpellier National School of Agronomy in France.  Following graduation, he worked in the Douro for Taylor’s Port house, Quinta do Côtto and Quinta do Tedo.  He struck out on his own in 1998, having inherited his grandfather’s abandoned farm in the Algarve.  With a strong technical background and experience with premium Douro producers, Leroux was always going to produce quality wine.  What distinguishes Monte da Casteleja is the character, intensity and natural balance of the wines.  Perhaps because the vigneron chose to work with traditional, adapted varieties and himself planted the vineyards. Since 2008, the Lagos vineyard has been certified organic.  His approach in the winery is similarly hands off, relying on the quality of the grapes and time honoured, simple winemaking techniques.