Our Story
A small, independent team running private wine experiences in Portugal. We started Via Vinho because this country's wine deserves to be shouted about — and because tasting it should feel like lingering in the sun, not being herded through a cellar.
Our story
I grew up in South Africa, with Portuguese heritage — my family comes from central Portugal. In the Cape Winelands, wine tasting was always open to anyone curious enough to explore it, and that easy, generous accessibility stayed with me.
I'd just stepped away from a creative agency I co-founded. It had done well, but the industry had burnt me out, so I went back to South Africa to work out what came next. Somewhere among the Cape vineyards it clicked: the slow, welcoming way the Winelands open up to people could translate so beautifully to Lisbon. Portugal makes some of the most extraordinary wine in the world — it should be shouted about.
I was describing it to my friend Hazel, more pipe dream than plan, and she simply said: you should do it. I asked if she'd come on the journey with me. She said yes — and in 2024, together, we started Via Vinho.
What we believe
The kind of day you keep — not in a photograph, but as a feeling.
So much of wine tourism is built for volume: large groups herded through, tastings poured and cleared so the next coach can pull in. There's a place for that — but it was never what moved us.
What we love about wine is slower than that, and more sensory. The hedonism of a long afternoon. The sun, the view, the Atlantic breeze, a glass you're in no hurry to finish. Meeting the person who made it. That's what we set out to make instead — small, private, and in no hurry.
How we do it
There was no shortcut to the access we wanted, so Hazel and I rented a car and drove — quinta to quinta — simply asking whether they'd open their doors to us. Most were generous. One we'll never forget is Filipe Palhoça: at first it was impossible to even book a tasting, so we just turned up. Pedro was hesitant — but he gave us a chance, agreed to host a few tours, and two years on it's still one of our favourite estates.
Every estate we visit is there because we know the people behind it. That's the whole difference — a door that opens through a relationship, not a booking.
I might be the founder — but I only held up because of the women standing with me.
Founder & Host
South African with Portuguese roots, and the person most likely to be hosting your day. Nicola started Via Vinho to bring the easy, open spirit of the Cape Winelands to the country her family comes from — and to give Portugal's wine the noise it deserves.
Co-founder
Hazel and Nicola founded Via Vinho together. WSET-accredited, she taught Nicola how to taste — to find the notes, to understand how the wine is made — over elaborate lunches built around a perfectly paired ASF Branco from Fernão Pó. She shaped the brand and its whole visual world, calmed the chaos and carried the admin. Now flourishing in a career of her own, she still steps in when needed, and dreams about Via Vinho as big as ever.
Host & Champion
Our greatest supporter since the idea was first floated over wine in Graça. Meg charms producers, holds a day together when everything's falling apart, and has a way of leaving guests wanting to visit her back home. She's opened her bar for our events, puts Via Vinho before any industry tasting, and is the warmest friend this whole thing could have.
In their words
"Our tour of the wineries was truly amazing! Nicola, Hazel, and Megan were fantastic hosts and the wineries were delightful. We all learned a lot about the wines and the process of making wines that the winemakers employ. I can't more highly recommend this tour!"
"We did the Alenquer Via Vinho tour with friends and it was an absolute blast! A full day enjoying the autumnal vineyard vibes about an hour north of Lisbon. So easy to be picked up in a spacious van right in the centre of Lisbon and driven to three different locations, with a five-course lunch overlooking Alenquer included. The ladies running Via Vinho were super responsive and attentive throughout. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting a nice excursion outside the busy city!"
Questions, Answered
Come and taste it
An afternoon among the Setúbal estates, or something built entirely around you — we'd love to host you.
