Rudi Schultz and Antonia Barbosa in Weekly Offers

Rudi Schultz made his first wine, an exquisite and fruity Syrah with freshness and minerality, as a side project while working at Thelema Mountain Vineyards in South Africa. This initiated the foundation for his own collection, which now features five outstanding wines.

Since childhood, Rudi has been enchanted by wine, but it was a sailing journey from the Cape through the Caribbean to North Carolina that sparked his ambition to become a winemaker. During this seven-month adventure, he tasted numerous Côte-Roties and Châteauneuf-du-Papes of the highest quality, which profoundly influenced him and motivated him to create wines of similar excellence in his homeland.

After graduating in viticulture and oenology from Elsenberg College in Stellenbosch, he gained valuable experience during harvest at Sonoma Cutrer in California. When he returned home, he introduced advanced scientific knowledge and modern techniques previously unknown in South Africa.

He gained experience at various wineries before becoming the winemaker at the prestigious Thelema Mountain Vineyards in 2001, where he crafts world-class wines under the guidance of Gyles Webb.

Rudi’s third passion, alongside his family and wine, is the sea, and particularly surfing. This often led to conflicts about what was more important: schoolwork or surfboards. He has always held a strong opinion on the matter. He continues to take every opportunity to surf, despite a recent foot injury that prevented him from participating last summer.

Falua Sociedade de Vinho, led by winemaker Antonina Barbosa, is considered a gem in the portfolio of the powerful French agricultural group Rouillier. The award-winning Conde Vimioso series from the Tejo region is just one of four notable lines.

From grapes cultivated in their own vineyards, which include both native and classic grape varieties, Falua has developed a terroir-specific and extensive portfolio, leading to their 2020 recognition as “Best Brand of the Year” by Revista de Vinhos, a testament to the unique quality of Falua's wines.

Sustainability is a priority at Falua, minimizing the use of pesticides and herbicides in grape cultivation.

Falua serves as an ambassador for Portuguese wines worldwide, preserving the historical characteristics of various terroirs while developing brands like Conde Vimioso that celebrate quality and differentiation.

With the Vinha do Convento, Falua boasts one of the most beautiful vineyards in Portugal, where high-quality vines are planted among pebbles, in an emblematic terroir steeped in a history of 400,000 years. Located in Charneca, sweeping fields of pebbles cover gentle hills that were once part of the Tejo riverbed.

This 45-hectare vineyard features Arinto, Fernão Pires, Castelão, and Touriga Nacional, serving as part of the foundation for all Conde Vimioso wines—forms an enriching experience for any wine lover, harmoniously intertwining the historical character of the terroir with creative innovation.

(Offers valid until 19.5.2022)