Joana Vivas represents the fourth generation of a family tradition at Quinta Olival da Murta , in Cadaval (Lisbon Region). Trained in Archaeology, Joana returned to the land to continue her grandfather's work, transforming the family project into a model of organic and regenerative agriculture . Her story as a winemaker began by following a conventional path, but soon underwent a transformation into a work philosophy guided by honoring the family legacy, reinventing it under the pillars of sustainability and minimal intervention .

  • Serra Oca Tinto

    Serra Oca Tinto

    €21,50
    €21,50
  • Serra Oca Moscatel Graúdo

    Serra Oca Moscatel Graúdo

    €17,70
    €17,70
  • Serra Oca White & Red Package

    Serra Oca White & Red Package

    €33,00
    €33,00
Quinta do Olival da Murta

It is located in the Lisbon wine region, next to the Serra de Montejunto mountain range. This mountain range creates conditions for a particular microclimate, with a proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and its cool, misty mornings allow for long periods of grape ripening and a good balance in the wines.

The Quinta uses exclusively Portuguese grape varieties and develops viticulture focused on soil regeneration and the recreation of a balanced and biodiverse ecosystem. To this end, the team works using certified organic methods, and their wines can even be considered vegan, as this is how they treat their production, although they do not yet have the certification.

Pruning and harvesting are done manually, and winemaking is simple, with spontaneous fermentation, where nothing is removed and nothing is added except for small doses of sulfur dioxide as a preservative, making the most of what nature gives them each year.

Serra Oca wines are created with indigenous yeasts and patience in the cellar, expressing the vertical freshness and pure minerality of the limestone soils of the Serra de Montejunto. It is the reincarnation of a family legacy through sustainable innovation.

The Serra Oca wine brand reflects the essence of its unique terroir , squeezed between the Atlantic influence and the cool microclimate of the Serra de Montejunto , in a region characterized by Jurassic-era limestone soils with a loamy-clay structure, with some sandy-clay areas.

Production Philosophy and the Return to Roots

The essence of Joana Vivas' work is to work with nature, not against it . The goal is to create authentic wines that reveal themselves in their own time, without urgency or artifice.

Organic and Regenerative Viticulture:

  • Biodiversity Above All: Fazenda Olival da Murta is certified in organic agriculture and has evolved towards regenerative practices. Joana and her team focus on recovering and enriching the soil, actively encouraging biodiversity beyond the monoculture of the vine. There is a daily observation of the vines and their surroundings to understand the whole that involves the vineyard and to have their work guided by the daily events that nature provides.
  • Living Soil: The soil is treated as a living organism, being recovered through the planting of legumes and other plants that coexist with the vines. This system strengthens the ecosystem, which is fundamental in a challenging region due to the humidity, winds, and morning fogs of the Atlantic influence.

  • Traditional Grape Varieties: Production prioritizes only Portuguese grape varieties that have historically adapted to the local terroir, such as Fernão Pires, Arinto, Castelão, Aragonês, and Touriga Nacional , ensuring maximum expression of origin, with the inclusion of Moscatel Graúdo, which can be considered one of the stars of its portfolio.

Minimal Intervention Production Method

  • Indigenous Yeasts: Fermentation is conducted exclusively by spontaneous (indigenous) yeasts present in the grapes and in the winery, an essential factor for the identity and complexity of Serra Oca wines.
  • Time Management: Joana believes that time is the fundamental factor for quality. Winemaking is traditional, with manual harvesting, and the wines rest and age for as long as necessary. In white wines, fermentation in contact with the skins for more than a week seeks greater texture, tannins, and aromatic complexity, which, in the particular case of Fernão Pires, causes its intense floral aromas, characteristic of the grape variety, to evolve with greater complexity, delicacy, and structure.
  • Respectful Aging: Aging is done in a combination of materials, including stainless steel tanks and used French oak barrels , which ensure gentle micro-oxygenation without adding excess wood, preserving the intensity and freshness that are the signature of Serra Oca wines.

Joana Vivas' project at Fazenda Olival da Murta is a story of family reincarnation, where tradition is honored through sustainable innovation, with a strong concern for its surroundings and the environmental consequences of its actions. The result is wines with a vertical profile, fresh and with revealing minerality that capture the authenticity of the Serra Oca region.