The name Gandona was Manuel’s grandfather’s nickname as known by villagers. He did many acts of “kindness” for the locals in his hometown. In English the word gandona translates to ‘humble man’.
Our hosts were Estate Director Peter Greerty and owner Manuel Pires. We began with a stroll around this heavenly property enjoying a glass of Rose Cabernet Franc. We then moved to the elegant tasting room with sensational views of Lake Hennessy. Part of the charm of the tasting room in the winery is the black and white stone flooring patterned in a wave. It is a pattern that was inspired from 1849 in Lisbon’s Rossio Square. This wave pattern atlternates black and white waves composed of small stones cut and laid by hand by a team of craftsmen from Portugal.
We tasted the 2017 Chardonnay Encosta, 2018 Meia (95%Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon), 2016 Encosta (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petite Verdot) and 2016 and 2012 Gandona (100% Cabernet Sauvignon). Each of these wines were crafted to the high winemaking standards of Phillipe Melka. We completed the tasting with the 2013 Gandona Fraga Do Arco Port. It had the aromatics of black currants, raspberries and hints of herbs and licorice. We enjoyed all of them and took a bottle of each home with us
The wines reflect the beauty of this sensational piece of property. It is a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa Wine Experiences.
