What happens when four people from different backgrounds, but with a shared connection to the Alentejo wine region, decide to pursue a common dream? For Elitevinhos, the answer is a wine project built around terroir, heritage, craftsmanship, and a desire to give new life to the region’s historic grape varieties.
Founded in 2017, Elitevinhos brings together Portuguese winemakers and vineyard owners Filipe Perdiz and Helena Godinho, alongside French entrepreneur Christian Vermet and Irish vineyard owner Mary Wilkinson. All four are connected to vineyards in Reguengos de Monsaraz, in Alentejo, and each brings a different perspective to the business.
Together, they set out to create their own wines, with a particular focus on expressing the identity of the region.
The strength of Elitevinhos lies in the complementary experience of its four partners.
Christian Vermet, Director and Designer, brings a background in design and international business, alongside what the company describes as a love of good wine. His role combines vision and enthusiasm with an international perspective.
Mary Wilkinson, Director of Communication and Image, grew up on a farm in Ireland and brings a strong appreciation for high-quality agricultural products. She is also a driving force behind Elitevinhos’ ecologically conscious approach to vine cultivation and wine production.
On the winemaking side, Filipe Perdiz serves as General Director and Head Winemaker. With more than two decades of experience in viticulture and oenology in the Alentejo region, he brings a deep understanding of the particular characteristics of the local terroir.
Helena Godinho, Director and Winemaker, is also closely connected to the region, having grown up there. Her experience of the challenges presented by its hot and dry climate, combined with her winemaking and quality management expertise, informs Elitevinhos’ approach to producing its wines.
It is this combination of skills, backgrounds, and perspectives that shapes the company’s work.
Today, Elitevinhos has three wine brands and a total of 17 references, each with its own character and connection to the Alentejo.
3 Folhas is produced in the terroir of Reguengos de Monsaraz and reflects what Elitevinhos describes as the irreverence of the Alentejo, combined with a winning attitude. The name represents the three origins of the partners, as well as the three grape varieties used in each wine.
The white brings together Síria, Gouveio, and Antão Vaz, while the red combines Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, and Touriga Nacional.
Herdade de Ceuta takes its inspiration from the plains surrounding the great Alqueva lake and a property with centuries of history. The wine is intended to evoke the character of this historic landscape and the sense of enchantment it creates.
Then there is Artesano, a wine line built around craftsmanship and individual expression. Elitevinhos describes these wines as “handcrafted creations,” where the entire process is the work of one person, the winemaker, allowing each wine to carry their individual style and personality.
As the company puts it, “each Artesano [is] different from the next.”
One of Elitevinhos’ most distinctive projects has been its work to recover ancient grape varieties that have become almost extinct.
The company has been studying varieties including Perrum for white wines, and Moreto and Tinta Caiada for red wines, examining their potential from both viticultural and oenological perspectives.
Today, these varieties form the basis of some of Elitevinhos’ wines.
For the team, the project goes beyond preserving old grape varieties. It is about uncovering something that is inherently connected to the place where the wines are produced.
The result, they say, is a way of “revealing identity and authenticity to the Elitevinhos Project.”
It is an approach that places heritage at the heart of innovation, using the region’s history and genetic diversity as a starting point for creating something contemporary.
Ultimately, Elitevinhos’ ambition is not simply to produce wines from Alentejo, but to create wines that communicate something about the region, its history, and the people who work its land.
“We try to create different wines, with identity, based on historical grape varieties from the Alentejo region,” the team explains.
That identity comes from a combination of factors: the way the vines are cultivated, the style and sensitivity of the winemaker, the characteristics of the Alentejo terroir, and the genetic potential of its grape varieties.
The goal is to translate all of these elements into an experience for the consumer, providing “a set of sensations and emotions” that reflect the place and the people behind the wine.
For a company founded by four people with roots in Portugal, Ireland, and France, that sense of place is paired with a naturally international perspective.
And perhaps that is what makes Elitevinhos an interesting addition to the IPBN community: a business rooted firmly in the Alentejo, while bringing together different cultures, experiences, and perspectives around a shared passion for what the region can produce.
As Elitevinhos continues to develop its wines and explore the potential of its historic grape varieties, its focus remains clear: creating wines with identity, authenticity, and a strong connection to the land from which they come.
| The IPBN is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland under the ESP Grant programme |
