Miguel Pessanha has been the head winemaker for Mateus wines for the last 10 years.
WINE MAKER
When asked about his favourite wine within the Mateus range, Miguel Pessanha finds it hard to decide. ?They all have their moments, flavours and aromas, but they all share the great passion that I put into them every harvest.?
Miguel was born in the city of Oporto in 1962, and his enthusiasm for wine dates back to his childhood. He was used to spending weekends and holidays at his family?s vineyards, so when it was time to decide on a career Miguel had two options in mind: Medical School or Winemaking. Having chosen the latter, the future winemaker left for Bordeaux, France, where he completed his studies with two degrees and a masters.
Miguel has worked for Sogrape Vinhos since 1988, and been the head winemaker for Mateus wines for the last 10 years. More recently he?s also assumed the coordination of the company?s winemaking teams. If his biggest challenge was originally to uphold the Mateus Rosé profile, today his role in rose wines is even more daring: creating five different alternatives with distinctive origins and styles. He has turned his years of experience into wines of great quality and flavour.