Discover Freire Lobo’s organic wines from Portugal’s Dão region where high-altitude vineyards and minimal intervention winemaking produce wines of remarkable freshness.
Freire Lobo is one of the most exciting small organic producers in Portugal’s Dão region. Founded by Elise Lobo in the high-altitude foothills of Serra da Estrela, these vegan-friendly wines combine freshness, purity and a deep respect for nature.
The 15-hectare family farm sits on rocky granite, schist and sandy soils, surrounded by forests at around 600 metres above sea level. Serra da Estrela, Portugal’s highest mountain range, creates dramatic diurnal temperature swings here, with hot days and very cool nights helping the grapes retain their natural acidity and freshness.
Elise’s approach in both vineyard and cellar is minimal intervention and deeply holistic. Around 300 sheep graze the vineyards during winter, naturally fertilising the soils as they go, while their milk is transformed into the locally produced Dos Lobos cheese. Bee hives have also recently been introduced to further support the biodiversity and ecosystem of the estate.
There’s even a tribute to the sheep hidden on both ends of the natural corks. Mercifully, there isn’t a sheep’s bottom on the underside.
High-Altitude Wines with Purity and Freshness
Elise aims to make wines with clarity, purity and energy, favouring neutral ageing vessels that allow the fruit and vineyard character to shine rather than heavy oak influence.
This is a particularly unusual white wine: a field blend made mostly from white grapes with a tiny proportion of black grapes picked and co-fermented together. Fermentation takes place in concrete, helping to keep temperatures stable, before the wine spends six months on fine lees in stainless steel.
The result is wonderfully light and expressive, with gentle acidity, melon-led fruit, citrus freshness and subtle oyster shell salinity. If you can find Dos Lobos cheese anywhere in the UK, I’d strongly recommend trying them together and if you do find it, please let me know where! Otherwise, a good vegan cheese alternative would work beautifully too, as the wine is both organic and vegan-friendly.
A Portuguese Wine Label Inspired by Narnia
The label design is intended to evoke the feeling of stepping into another world, a little like Narnia, His Dark Materials or Exit West. Wine should transport you somewhere after all. Hopefully somewhere heavenly.
The Vigno Tinto has an appealing generosity from the outset, with baked dark fruit, wild herbs, a touch of spice and enough brightness to keep everything lifted and energetic. It’s the sort of red that persuade you, very easily, into pouring another glass.
Although the blend is Touriga Nacional led, it carries itself with freshness and restraint at a very moderate 13% alcohol and I’d happily serve it with a slight chill.
It is organic and vegan-friendly too, although I suspect Elise’s 300 sheep might object to my suggested pairing of roast lamb and rosemary potatoes. Understandably so.
Meeting Elise at Wine Paris 2026
I had the pleasure of meeting Elise at Wine Paris earlier this year. I very much hope her impressive knitwear was wool.
