At Tapada de Coelheiros, João Raposeiro shows us how they are protecting the soil in the scorching summer heat. With a thousand sheep grazing through the winter, they have been deploying indigenous plants and adding additional varieties. João says:
“We rebuilt the borders of the vineyards and restore the water lines with different plants with different flowering cycles to attract auxiliary insects, birds and bats. They allow us to make the ecosystem resilient and balanced.”
He goes on to say how they use mulching techniques to create a thick organic cover. Without this the soils can heat up to 50ºC but with the mulched covering the temperature stays at around 30-35ºC, preserving microbial life and soil health. The root system of the vines is protected from the heat.
Watch the whole interview with João and with winemaker, Luis Patrão black clicking here or scanning the QR code.