QUINTA DE AVELEDA
Vinho Verde, Portugal
Since 1870, Aveleda has been managed and cared for by the same family and has kept the same family surname since that date: Guedes. The history of the Guedes family has always involved the Quinta de Aveleda estate, which has become a part of the family identiy.
Aveleda is a name which spans several generations. The first records of the sale of bottled wine date back to 1870, with Manuel Pedro Guedes (1837-1899), known for his strong enterprising spirit and believed to be the founder of the business as we know it today. His work bore fruit and the quality of the Aveleda wines started to be recognised, as the gold medals won in the international competitions in Berlin (1888) and Paris (1889) attest.
Today the Guedes family still owns 100% of the company, always committed to maintaining this family legacy which spans several generations. The son of Manuel Pedro Guedes, Fernando Guedes da Silva da Fonseca (1871-1946) continued his father’s work, significantly increasing the production capacity at the Estate. He had 7 children and it was Roberto Van-Zeller Guedes (1899-1966) who led the family business, dedicating his whole life to working at Aveleda. The 4th generation includes the six children of Roberto Van-Zeller Guedes: Fernando, Luís, António, Maria Isabel, Maria Helena and Roberto – who today manage the company’s future, together with the following generation: 14 cousins who make up the 5th generation.