Wine and olive oil production test outside Portugal

Santa Vitória and Val Moreira arrive in Ouro Preto

Specialised in producing wines and olive oils in the Alentejo, under the Santa Vitória brand, and in the Douro, under the Val Moreira brand, Vila Galé is preparing to test production in Ouro Preto, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The group will plant vineyards and olive groves on the property where it will have the Vila Galé Collection Ouro Preto, in Cachoeira do Campo, which will be the first hotel in Minas Gerais, scheduled to open in April 2025.

Winemaker Marta Maia, responsible for the Santa Vitória wines produced in the Alentejo, visited the land and acknowledged its potential.

Wine and olive oil production outside Portugal for the first time

“The new hotel project has evolved since its initial conception. We identified great potential in the land. Now we will have 308 rooms, a convention room for 700 people, wine tourism activities, a lake, and various other attractions for the whole family. When considering the climate of Cachoeira do Campo, we recognised the potential for producing wines and olive oils, just as we do in Portugal. We are very optimistic and, if we eventually don’t reach our goal, we will certainly have a beautiful garden”, said the Vila Galé group’s founder and CEO, Jorge Rebelo de Almeida.

“We are very excited about the wine project in Ouro Preto and the opportunity to work in Minas Gerais. We have studied and analysed all the possibilities to ensure the success of the venture, as viticulture here differs considerably from ours in Portugal. However, our ultimate expectation is that, in a few years’ time, we will have a wine produced in Minas Gerais with the Vila Galé seal of quality”, added winemaker Marta Maia.

The announcement of this new endeavour was made at two events held last week in Belo Horizonte and Ouro Preto. Officials from the Minas Gerais state government, the mayor of Ouro Preto, Ângelo Oswaldo, the mayor of Poços de Caldas, members of the tourist trade, businesspeople, journalists, and partners had the opportunity to taste some of the wines and olive oils produced by the group.