Hugo Mendes’ path took an unexpected turn. Though he received a degree in Biotechnological Engineering in 2005, his true passion was wine. That same year, he began working at Quinta da Murta in Portugal’s Bucelas region, quickly rising from cellar worker to Head Winemaker by 2010. Throughout this time, his love for wine deepened, and he established himself as “The Wizard Apprentice” through a popular blog dedicated to simplifying winemaking for enthusiasts.
Tired of making wines to other people’s specifications, he decided in 2016 to strike out on his own: he launched a pioneering crowdfunding campaign for wine production in Portugal, the first of its kind. Hugo left Quinta da Murta In 2019 to focus on his own labels, which hail from Lisboa, Tejo and Alentejo.
He is now considered as one of the country’s most pioneering and cutting-edge winemakers, crafting beautiful and unique wines from indigenous grape varieties such as Fernão Pires, Vital, Arinto for the whites, and Castelão, Trincadeira, Aragonês and Tinta Grossa for the reds.
