Quinta de Chocapalha celebrates Father’s Day with a special wine

16/03/2026The 2017 Guarita da Chocapalha, a limited-edition single-varietal Alicante Bouschet, returns to the market as a tribute to the estate’s founder and a symbol of the family values that define Quinta de Chocapalha’s wine-making project.

Quinta de Chocapalha marks Father’s Day, celebrated on 19 March, with the return of one of its most iconic wines: the Guarita da Chocapalha 2017. More than just a wine, it is a tribute to Paulo Tavares da Silva, a Navy officer and patriarch of the family, who laid the foundations for the estate’s wine-making project in the late 1980s.

Since the first vintage, in 2015, this single-varietal Alicante Bouschet has stood as a symbol of the Tavares da Silva family’s reverence for the father of Sofia, Andrea and Sandra Tavares da Silva (the latter being the winemaker at Quinta de Chocapalha, alongside Miguel Cavaco). The name ‘Guarita’ evokes vigilance, protection and care, in a direct analogy to the family values that underpin the project.

Produced in the Lisbon region, the 2017 Guarita is made from old vines of almost 35 years’ age, drawing on the depth and complexity afforded by the maturity of the vines. A very limited edition, only 2,100 750 ml bottles were produced.

The grapes were destemmed beforehand and fermentation took place in temperature-controlled vats with gentle pressing over seven days. This was followed by malolactic fermentation and a 24-month ageing period in French oak barrels, after which the wine was bottled.

In the glass, it displays an opaque, intense colour, with aromas dominated by ripe black and red fruits, accompanied by hints of chocolate. On the palate, it reveals body, a silky texture and high-quality tannins, culminating in a long, lingering finish. Its structure and balance give it excellent ageing potential, reinforcing the special character of a wine conceived as a tribute and a memorial.