Damasceno Wines Setúbal

Sustainable production

• All production is carried out in an integrated production regime; the agricultural production system is based on good agricultural practices, with rational management of natural resources and privileging the use of natural regulation mechanisms in place of production factors, contributing, thus, to sustainable agriculture. The company Certis is responsible for the annual audit and issuance of the respective certificate.
• Only approved/certified products that respect the standards imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture in environmental terms are used.
• Preservation and improvement of soil fertility and biodiversity, through the use of humidity control sensors, to minimize water consumption and avoid water stress in the vineyards.

Gender equality promotion

70% of the workforce consists of women and the sole manager is a woman.

Sustainable job promotion

Due to a strong seasonal component characterizing this activity, during periods with less workload, the promoter encourages the professional training of his employees regarding agricultural management, handling, and application of products, organic production, etc.

Local development

The promoter employs two people with a permanent contract. On top of this, five other people have been working for the family for more than 30 years, now. Despite providing services to the promoter, they are employed by another local wine producer. This way, synergies are created. Finally, they have a "pool" of people hired for the manual pruning and harvest.

The history of Damasceno Wines began over a century ago when farmer Domingos Carvalho settled in the town of Poceirão, in the region of Setúbal, and built a 600-hectare estate called Herdade dos Carvalho's, where he planted vineyards to extract the best wine from the sandy soils.

With his death, the children share the property and the estate. Among them, the first son, José, stands out, who manages to considerably increase the production of oil and wine. José marries Maria Damasceno with whom he has five children.

When José dies, Domingos Damasceno de Carvalho (his eldest son) becomes the financial administrator of the estate, which he explores together with his three brothers.

In 2003, for the first time, the harvest was bottled under the designation of Domingos Damasceno de Carvalho, and the wines were sold in bulk until then.

In 2012, after capital injection from Finance, the project promoter, the brand was reborn with a new image, new investment, and a strong commitment to growing a business with history in one of the oldest wine regions in Portugal. Currently, the company owns the brands of the “Damasceno” universe, all activity is concentrated there and it is through it that it is expected to increase the production capacity of grapes and wine (in bulk and bottled).

It is also since that time that winemaker António Saramago ensures the quality of wines in the cellar with the latest technology. 

In the 23 hectares of vineyards, in addition to the most traditional varieties in the region, such as Moscatel, Moscatel Roxo, and Castelão, the promoter has his own production of red grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, and Merlot. In white grape varieties, it produces Chardonnay, Antão Vaz, Arinto, Fernão Pires, Verdelho, and Viognier.

In the 20 hectares that will be explored from 2021, priority will be given to the planting of national varieties.

There have been several awards for wines at the national and international level, namely at the International Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wine Awards in London and Challenge International du Vin, in Bordeaux.