Rudi Schultz and Antonia Barbosa in Weekly Offers

Rudi Schultz crafted his first wine, an exquisite and fruity Syrah with both freshness and minerality, in his spare time while working at Thelema Mountain Vineyards in South Africa. This set the foundation for his own range, which now includes five outstanding wines.

From a young age, Rudi was captivated by wine, yet it wasn't until a sailing trip from the Cape through the Caribbean to North Carolina that his dream of becoming a winemaker truly ignited. During this seven-month adventure at sea, he had the chance to taste numerous Côte-Roties and Châteauneuf-du-Papes from the finest producers, leaving a lasting impression that inspired him to create wines of similar caliber back home.

After graduating in viticulture and oenology from Elsenberg College in Stellenbosch, he gained valuable practical experience during harvest at Sonoma Cutrer in California. Returning to South Africa, he brought cutting-edge scientific knowledge and techniques that were unheard of in the country at that time.

He worked at various wineries before taking the role of winemaker at South Africa’s prestigious Thelema Mountain Vineyards in 2001, where he has been crafting world-class wines under the guidance of Gyles Webb.

Rudi’s third great love, alongside family and wine, is the sea; he has a passion for surfing that has occasionally caused conflicts at home over homework versus surfboards. He still seizes every opportunity to hit the water, although a recent foot injury during the summer season was challenging for him.

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

Utilizing grapes from their own vineyards, which feature both native and international grape varieties, Falua has developed an extensive and terroir-specific portfolio, earning the title of “Best Brand of the Year” in 2020 from Revista de Vinhos – a testament to the unique quality of their wines.

Sustainability is paramount at Falua, with the use of pesticides and herbicides minimized in grape production.

Falua serves as an ambassador for Portuguese wines worldwide, maintaining the historical characteristics of the various terroirs and developing brands like Conde Vimioso that emphasize quality and uniqueness.

With the Vinha do Convento, Falua boasts one of Portugal’s most beautiful vineyards. Here, premium vines flourish among pebbles, in a notable terroir that narrates a story over 400,000 years old. Located in Charneca, large stretches of pebbles cover gentle hills that were once part of the Tejo riverbed.

On this 45-hectare vineyard, Arinto, Fernão Pires, Castelão, and Touriga Nacional thrive, forming a part of the base for Conde Vimioso wines. This combination of local and international grape varieties creates a rich experience for every wine lover, harmoniously marrying historical terroir character with innovative creativity.

(Offers valid until 19.5.2022)