CASA AGRÍCOLA HORÁCIO SIMÕES IS A FAMILY BUSINESS WITH A LONG HISTORY. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ABOUT YOUR ORIGINS AND HOW FAMILY TRADITION HAS INFLUENCED YOUR WORK OVER THE YEARS?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: THE HS HOUSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LINKED TO VARIED AGRICULTURE. ONLY MUCH LATER DID IT DEDICATE ITSELF ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY TO WINE CULTURE. IT WAS STARTED BY THE HANDS OF OUR GREAT-GRANDFATHER WHO PURCHASED PLOTS OF LAND AND PLANTED EVERYTHING FROM GRAIN TO OLIVE GROVE AND VINEYARDS. OUR REALITY IS A SMALL FARM WITH A LARGE DIVERSITY OF LAND. I THINK IT IS THIS DIVERSITY THAT MAKES OUR WINES DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE WAY OUR ANCESTORS LIVED AND WHAT WE WITNESSED THROUGH THE HANDS OF OUR GRANDFATHER, WE COULD NOT HAVE ANY OTHER WAY OF BEING IN THIS WORLD, IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE AT FAMILY MEALS AND IN ONE OR MORE CONVERSATION WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT WINES, IT REMAINED AND WILL REMAIN FOREVER IN OUR BEING.
WHAT IS THE MOST REMARKABLE MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: THE REVOLUTION PHASE OF HS WAS WHEN THE GRANDFATHER DECIDED IN THE 70S TO INVEST IN PORTUGUESE GRAPES THAT WERE EXTINCT, IN SEARCH OF DIFFERENTIATING THE ENTIRE REGION.
WHAT ARE THE MOST EMBLEMATIC WINES FROM CASA AGRÍCOLA HORÁCIO SIMÕES AND WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: I THINK THEY ARE GENEROUS IN GENERAL, IN RELATION TO BEING SPECIAL YOU SAY AND I THANK YOU FOR THIS DISTINCTION, WHAT WE ARE IMPORTANT ABOUT IS MAINTAINING THE MOST ANCESTRAL METHODS IN THEIR PRODUCTION.
WHICH GRAPE VARIETIES WORK THE MOST? AND HOW DOES THE TERROIR OF THE SETÚBAL PENINSULA INFLUENCE THE PROFILE OF THE WINES?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: IN OUR HOUSE WE ONLY WORK WITH REGIONAL GRAPES, SOME MORE AND OTHERS LESS POPULAR, IN DESCENDING ORDER, CASTELÃO, MOSCATEL SETÚBAL, MOSCATEL ROXO, BASTARDO, BOAL DO BARREIRO AND RABO DE OVELHA. THERE IS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE SETÚBAL TERROIR, AS WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENTIATING TERRITORIES, RANGE FROM SANDY LAND TO THE SOUTH, WHICH I DON'T IDENTIFY, TO CLAY-LIMESTONE LAND TO THE WEST, WHERE OUR VINEYARDS ARE LOCATED, WHICH GIVES US A DIFFERENTIATING FRESHNESS. WE ALWAYS TAKE CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AGRICULTURAL YEAR AND THE VINEYARD ARE INSIDE THE BOTTLE.
THE SETÚBAL REGION IS FAMOUS FOR MOSCATEL DE SETÚBAL. WHAT CHALLENGES DOES CASA HS FACE IN RELATION TO ITS PROMOTION AND CONSUMPTION?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: AT CASA HS WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE WE HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS, TRYING TO DO OUR BEST EVERY YEAR, BUT ALWAYS MAINTAINING OUR IDENTITY. CONSUMPTION HAS ALWAYS HAD UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WHAT IS DONE WITH A LOT OF LOVE AND CARE ALWAYS HAS RECOGNITION FROM THE MARKET.
I BELIEVE INNOVATING BUT MAINTAINING TRADITION IS KEY.
WHAT IS THE APPROACH TO CHOOSING THE AGING TIME FOR MOSCATEL? ARE THERE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU SEEK TO DEVELOP OVER THE YEARS?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: IN RELATION TO THIS ISSUE WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR WAY OF WORKING. IN THE NEW MOSCATÉIS WE GO BEYOND THE MANDATORY IN RELATION TO THE INTERNSHIP TIME. OUR APPROVAL IS AND WILL BE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OFFICIAL ONES. TALKING ABOUT THE OLD MOSCATÉIS, IT IS THE WINES THEMSELVES THAT TELL US WHEN THEY INTEND TO BE RELEASED TO THE MARKET. IN OUR VIEW, THE INTERNSHIP TIME AND DIVERSITY IN THE INTERNSHIP FORM ARE THE KEY TO DIFFERENTIATION.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN TRADITION AND ADAPTATION TO NEW TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF WINE?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: IN RELATION TO THIS ISSUE, FOR US THERE IS NO DISCUSS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE, CONNECTING WHAT OUR GRANDFATHER TAUGHT US WITH WHAT WE LEARNED AT SCHOOL AND WITH THE INNOVATIONS THAT APPEAR. IN OUR IDEA, WE WILL FOLLOW TRENDS AND FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE AN IDENTITY, WE WILL KEEP OURS.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN THE PRODUCTION OF STILL WINES COMPARED TO MOSCATEL?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: THE CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN HUGE, WE HAVE BEEN LAUNCHING WINES WITH A VERY DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY ONTO THE MARKET AND RECOVERING SOME VARIETIES THAT WERE ALMOST EXTINCT, THIS HAS BEEN THE PATH WE HAVE CHOSEN TO SEE IF THE MARKET RECOGNIZES OUR STILL WINES.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF CASA HC? ARE THERE PLANS FOR NEW WINES OR NEW PRODUCTION DIRECTIONS?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: ALWAYS WITH NEW WINES IN OUR IDEAS, BUT ALSO ALWAYS WITH THE TRADITION AND CLASSICISM INHERENT TO OUR IDENTITY. AND WHICH WE CONTINUE TO STUDY IN OUR PAST FOR OUR INSPIRATION FOR THE FUTURE.
FINALLY, WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE TO CONSUMERS AND ENTHUSIASTS WHO ENJOY HORÁCIO SIMÕES WINES?
HORÁCIO SIMÕES FAMILY: TRY A LOT AND DON'T HOLD ON TO THE IDEA OF NOT LIKING A GRAPE VARIETY OR A PRODUCER OR A REGION. DON'T DRINK IN MODERATION, NEVER FORGET THAT A TASTING IS ALWAYS A COMPARISON. DON'T OPEN A BOTTLE WITH A PREFORMED IDEA.
