Quinta do Roncão

Photograph of a detail of Quinta do Roncão. This wine estate is located on the right bank of the mouth of the Ribeira das Canadas or Roncão, a valley associated with quality wines, namely whites, for which the entire area was inserted in the demarcation of 1757 (FONSECA: 1949, 206). Severely affected by phylloxera, this property was bought in 1893 by Robertson, Bros & Co. and its area was extended by the acquisition of the surrounding plots (MONTEIRO: 1998, 44). The property was later sold by that company to Edmundo Alves Ferreira, in 1951, and remains in possession of his heirs.
In addition to the plots in post-phylloxera terraces that are preserved in the estate, mention should also be made of the sets of terraces and "mortórios" recolonized with olive groves or shrub vegetation that continue along the way to Vilarinho de Cotas. Within the estate stands out the portion below the built nucleus, crossed by an old walled path that connected the Douro margin to the parish headquarters, which is closed by an iron gate with the date 22/09/1934 inscribed on the jamb.
The walls, that exceed 4 meters in height, follow the winding configuration of the slope, marked by the staircases that tear the central and southern part of the set. It should be noted that the terraces include planes of circular layout that incorporate the outcrops of rock and the curve of the slope. The connection between them is made through different types of stairs of smaller dimensions than the central one, with emphasis on the traditional cantilever stairs. We highlight the property boundary wall, with traditional stone capping, and the drainage system made up of recesses with protruding outlets.