The grape varieties are carefully selected, with an overriding concern to use varieties endemic to the Alentejo region while making every effort to maintain their particular characteristics.

Despite the recognition afforded to Alentejo wines, Finagra has set up an ampelographic field on Herdade do Esporão, in order to test the quality of the grape varieties and determine the percentage contribution of each one of its wines.

Average production at Herdade do Esporão is currently over 7,000,000 litres a year, thus achieving Finagra’s initial objective of producing the best wines in each segment that are both good value and in sufficient quantity for export.

Profiling: The aim is to identify soil variation and any potential physical limitations on production.

Geo-referencing of the plot: topographical elevation of the plot using GPS for future connection (association) to an integrated management system. This elevation enables a more accurate visualisation of the slope, water courses, areas of shade and drainage of the plot. This is essential for drawing up an irrigation project.

 Definition of plots: in defining the plots not only should the position of electricity power lines be taken into account, but geo-referencing and profiling of the plot should also be undertaken to enable a proper evaluation.

 Soil analyses: the gathering of samples is done at a depth of between 0 and 50 cm, after removal of weeds, stones and other detritus from the surface. Sub-samples are taken at random, while moving in a zigzag pattern across the plot. After the sub-samples have been mixed thoroughly around 0.5kg of earth is taken, sealed, labelled and sent to an accredited laboratory.

 Irrigation project: drawing up of an irrigation project for later evaluation and installation.

 Choosing vines: in our case, the grape varieties chosen were Aragonez and Trincadeira for the red wines, and Antão Vaz for the whites, because they not only form part of the Alentejo DOC varieties, but are regarded as of great potential for production of superior quality wines.

 Application of limestone: this is done on controlled basis (to a width of 1 metre) going along the row with an oscillating fertilizer dispenser adapted for this task. The application of limestone is done separate from and before subsoiling, to avoid the formation of triphosphates of calcium (in their unabsorbed form) and to ensure it is well incorporated into the soil.

 Subsoiling (“breaking the earth”): this is only done along the planting row with heavy machinery to a depth of ± 1 metre. It is essential to ensure that every day the soil is totally dry down to the depth you are working.

 Creation of drainage ditches: this system comprises an open ditch and four “blind” ditches (1m deep, 0.7m wide, a 12cm Ø perforated drainage pipe, a layer of small clean stone up to half the depth of the ditch, geotextile felt and the rest filled in with earth).

 Chisel plough: taking the chisel plough along the planting row in order to “shake up the soil”.

 De-stoning: manually (medium-sized stones), or mechanically (large or small stones), the stones are removed from the soil to make future operations easier. Small stones are used in “blind” ditches.

 Fertilizing the bottom: this is done in a 1-metre wide strip along the planting row with a fertilizing dispenser.

 Terracing the land: this is done with a specific tool that comprises two plough bottoms mounted on a chassis.

 Seeding vegetation for ground cover: we opt for a mixture of legumes and grasses (40% + 60%) thereby increasing biodiversity, the fixation and efficient use of nitrogen, and the potential production of biomass for mulching. Seeding ground cover is done with a seed drill (straight drill 2.5 metres wide) with densities of around 25 kg/ha.

 Fertilising of ground cover: due to ground cover’s high demand for phosphor, superphosphate (50 kg/ha) is applied in order to improve the seeding and performance of the cover.

 Marking out the vines: Points are marked out strategically every 50 metres (by a topographer) and then with the help of chains measuring 3m ×1.5m, a marker is placed in each spot where a vine will be planted.

 Installation of an irrigation system: we opted for a drip-irrigation tube with holes 50cm apart and a flow of 1.6 litres/hour, giving a more homogenous water distribution.

 1st mowing of ground cover: if necessary, the ground cover is mowed, to reduce as far as possible the formation of frost and eliminate the growth of resident weeds. This operation is performed with a brush shredder.

 Planting: this is done using tractor-mounted water-injectors and sprayers. A rooting compound is added to the planting water. After planting, the vines are watered manually to bind the soil and the plant together better.

 Placement of capacity gauges: tubes are sunk to allow access to the “Diviner” gauges in the soil placed at strategic intervals in the sub-plots, in order to monitor soil humidity and draw up a sustainable irrigation plan.

 Trellising: the trellis system is comprised of metallic posts, with a leading wire placed 80 cm above ground level and two pairs of wires, the last one being 180 cm above the ground.

 Pruning while green: all side shoots are eliminated, so that the best stalk can develop under the best possible conditions.

 Positioning of training posts: training posts are inserted (small stakes which hold the young vines) made of bamboo 1.2 m long and ± 8 mm Ø in diameter.

 Fitting of tree guards/grow tubes: the use of tree guards of between 8 and 10 cm in diameter to protect the young vines from rodents and encourage better growth.

 Replanting (retrancha): this is done using pre-ordered, potted vines, so that the first year’s planting becomes as homogenous as possible. The planting procedure is identical to that described above except that the diameter of the water-injector is altered.

 Irrigation: irrigation is carried out as often as required in accordance with the readings from the “diviner” gauge.

 2nd mowing of ground cover: after the ground cover is mature, a second mowing is carried out to make it easier for the cover to reestablish itself the following year. This is done using a brush shredder.

The winegrowing year begins at the end of October.

Pre-pruning: using a machine which trims away all vegetation 15cm above the leading wire.

 Pruning: using manual secateurs on vines less than three years old and electric secateurs on older vines. The pruners should ideally have attended a training course in pruning techniques.

 Vine removal: after the vines have been pruned, the cuttings are removed from the trellis system by a team of workers. These cuttings are placed between the rows, and later taken away with a ‘vine-collector’ attached to a tractor. They are then burnt.

 Training/Tying: in plots where the Guyot Duplo trellis system is used, the vine is bent and the end is tied to the wire with polyethylene binding twine. With Cordão Royat Duplo, Smart-Dyson and Scott-Henry trellises, training is only carried out in years when the permanent branches are forming. The vine is tied along the wire removing downward-pointing branches.

 Chemical thinning out: in vines more than two years old, a chemical thinning is carried out with herbicides contained in the annual “List of Vine Products”, published at the beginning of the farming year to control weeds which is part of the List of Authorised Products in Integrated Vine Production (Manual of Integrated Vine Production and updates).

 Application of herbicides: herbicides are applied to the vines with a mechanical sprayer consisting of a boom with a nozzle at each end.

 Harrowing: turning the soil with a disc harrow. This is used on land where weeds have become better established.

 Cultivation: turning the soil with a cultivator. This tool is used when weeds are smaller.

 Minimum tillage: cutting down existing weeds using a mechanical instrument.

 Manual weeding: for vines less than three years old manual weeding is carried out along the rows using a hoe. It can be done with vines over two years old if weeds do not respond well to herbicides.

 Fertilizers for maintenance purposes: preferably using liquid fertilisers via the irrigation system.

 Irrigation: the number of minutes for irrigation should be programmed into the system on a weekly basis (according to the irrigation plan) for each sector, and later confirmed in situ by the vineyard manager. As vines like dry conditions, irrigation functions merely to complement normal wine production.

 Disbudding: to improve harvest quality, this should be done as early as possible. Normally undertaken between June and July. It consists of cutting off vine shoots to halt leaf growth and encourage development of grape bunches.

 Young Pruning: carried out while the vine is developing. The pruners, by hand or with secateurs, remove all growth which is not conducive to grape production (stalks and stems), and which does not affect the winter pruning, to aerate the leaves and prevent the incidence of fungal diseases.

 Thinning out of bunches: this timely intervention should only be carried out when production forecasts are such that they jeopardise the quality of the grapes at harvest time. It is a manual operation which consists of removing a proportion of the grapes from each vine, in order to improve the yield/quality ratio. It should take place at the end of July and beginning of August.

 Harvest: the date for the beginning of the harvest is determined according to the Maturation Index figures, which start to be taken in the last week of July. 200/300 grams of grapes per vineyard are collected in plastic bags. Grapes must be picked from all over the vineyard and from different parts of bunches, to obtain a representative sample.

 Manual Harvest: before the harvesters go through, empty boxes are taken by tractors with fork-lift attachments which transport them on pallets and, with the help of a couple of men, spread them between the rows to be harvested. Then, the women pick the grapes into 25kg plastic boxes. They divide themselves up two to a row, and cut the grapes into the same box, which is placed beneath the vine when full. After the pickers have been through, the same teams of tractors and men who scattered the boxes put them back onto the pallets. These pallets are then left at top of the vineyard for transporting. In stacks of up to 28, the boxes are piled onto a trailer which can take a maximum of 6 pallets at a time. When the trailer is full and secured, it goes off to the winery, accompanied by a harvest docket detailing the date, the vineyard, grape variety, number of boxes, trailer number, the name of the tractor and time of delivery. Alternatively, the grapes may be collected in an open stainless steel container, towed by a tractor, into which the grapes are tipped directly before being taken to the winery together with the docket as described above.

 Mechanized Harvest: the harvester passes over the rows of vines and shakes the grapes loose onto conveyor belts which carry them into the containers located on the upper part of the machine. When these are full, they are tipped into stainless steel tanks pulled by a tractor waiting at the top of the vineyard. When this is full it carries the load to the winery together with the aforementioned docket.