Revela [Mariana Salvador]

Mariana Salvador has spent her entire life amongst the vines.

Her career is one of determination, focus and a little bit of serendipity. After studying viticulture and winemaking in Lisbon, she spent several years working in the southern hemisphere. Her exposure was broad yet focused as she spent time working in small family wineries such as Pikes in Claire Valley, Australia as well as household names like Villa Maria in New Zealand. Her experience in both Australia, New Zealand and furthermore in Chile provided her with a deep knowledge of many different winemaking approaches used across the globe. As a young, talented, hungry winemaker, she returned to Portugal to start her own winemaking journey.

She first began as winemaker at Comporta winery in Alentenjo, where she became very close with Nuno do Ó – the owner of the famed central Portuguese winery, Miro do Ó. Nuno not only introduced Mariana to a talented group of Portuguese winemaking icons, but to some of the most heralded, collectable wines produced in the old-world. Through this, she began to assess and refine her own palate and winemaking philosophy, applying more reductive and long lees aging strategies to the wines she produced. Mariana slowly began to build her reputation and, at a young age, took the opportunity to become head winemaker at Textura wines, one of the Dāo’s most respected, terroir driven wineries. It was at Textura where she honed her style and laid the framework for her own project: Revela.

Revela means “reveal”, and it’s Mariana’s objective to reveal the best of what Dão has to offer. She believes that you can only reveal as much as the grape gives you, which is why she works painstakingly close with a handful of small, thoughtfully farmed vineyards. While she is currently planting her own vineyards for the future, she deliberately works to champion historic vineyards and varieties while supporting respected, wise farmers, who would otherwise be forced to sell their fruit, or worse, replant to more “popular”, high-yielding varieties.

The wines at Revela are all produced with Mariana’s philosophy in mind. Keep the addition of sulfur to a minimum by moving the wine as little as possible, working reductively, and keeping the wine as long as possible on the lees. She currently produces three wines, in minute quantity, in her spiritual home of the Dão.

Revela is Mariana’s love letter to the Dão and to Portugal. To her love of wine, and passion for winemaking.