History

Originally from the north of Portugal, Manuel de Sousa had been a button manufacturer since the 1920s, but later gained a taste for agriculture and wine. Owner of two estates in the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão, namely Quinta do Cruzeiro with eight hectares of vineyards growing Loureiro, Arinto, Chardonnay varieties and an old vineyard with several traditional varieties and Quinta da Senra with its seven hectares of vineyards producing Loureiro and Arinto, grapes, he has managed to pass this passion down through the generations, despite his true profession having nothing to do with wine production.

Thus, in 1977, his son Manuel Artur de Sousa Lopes bought Casa da Torre in the parish of Louro, also in Famalicão.

At this property, with its five hectares of vineyards growing Loureiro, Alvarinho Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Manseng varieties, he rebuilt the existing winery baptising this "Adega Casa da Torre” (Casa da Torre Winery).

It is here that the grapes from these three estates belonging to the family are vinified, giving rise to the Vinho Verde Quinta do Cruzeiro, Sousa Lopes and the monovarietals of international varieties of the Lacrau brand.

Here the grapes grown at the family's three estates are used to produce Vinho Verde Quinta do Cruzeiro, Sousa Lopes and the monovarietals of international varieties of the Lacrau brand.

The labels on the bottles bear the image of a Stone Pine - Pinus Pinea. This tree has a very special meaning for the family, as it was planted in 1932 by grandfather Sousa Lopes to mark the birth of his first daughter.

Nowadays it is Gonçalo Sousa Lopes, grandson of Manuel Sousa Lopes and son of Manuel Artur Sousa Lopes, who manages the family's properties.