Titan of Douro

Douro

Luís Leocádio made his name at Quinta do Cardo, located in the lofty Castelo Rodrigo mountains, in the Beira Interior region. With a head for heights, both literally and metaphorically speaking, he continues to scale the heights for his own project, Titan of Douro. In 2015, he took on his 80-year-old father-in-law’s vineyards, on the granite, quartz and schist slopes of the Serra do Reboredo, in Paredes da Beira. Located at 700 to 850m, they are the Douro’s highest.  Planted some 150 years ago, the oldest un-grafted vines produce Titan of Douro’s immensely characterful Vale dos Mil and Estágio em Barro (clay-aged) labels, whilst younger, 30-year-old vineyards produce Titan of Douro white, red and rosé. The first wines, launched in 2016, won immediate acclaim and Leocádio was named Best New Oenologist of the Year 2018 by Portugal’s leading wine magazine, Revista de Vinhos.  Successful but modest, the winemaker has named his wines Titan, after the faithful family hound pictured on the label.

Luis also makes a stunning mineral white in the little known region of Távora-Varosa DOC.  Known as ‘Douro Sul’ (Douro south), the region is located in the southern half of the Távora Valley (Luis’ Douro DOC vineyards are located in the northern part).  He is a co-founder of Quinta da Biaia in Beira Interior where, similarly, the vineyards are at altitude.  We list a selection of Quinta da Biaia wines too.