The Wall Street Crash of 1929 had a drastic impact on the production of Portuguese Colares wine. The scourge of phylloxera triggered a massive wave of emigration from the Azores islands. The history of Cistercian wine, dating back to the founding of Portugal, is intertwined with the construction of the great monastery of Alcobaça by the monks of the Cistercian Order, of French origin. Talha wines continue to be made in massive clay vessels, following a tradition that dates back to the Roman Empire.
In this five-episode documentary series, we explore how some of the most unique Portuguese wines have contributed to world history and, in a way, have become captive to it. It takes us through the changing seasons, between the vineyard and the cellar, revealing the lives of the persistent guardians who preserve the memory of these ancient, unique wines.
Colares Wine
Talha Wine
Red Vinho Verde
Medieval Cistercian Wine
Production Director: Bárbara Valentina
Producer: Ellen Igersheimer
Most, Wine International Film Festival, Spain
Terre da Film Festival, Italy
Madalena Auditorium, Pico Island, Azores, Portugal