Fernando Guedes acquired the historic Quinta de Azevedo estate in 1982. He is the CEO of Sogrape, the largest producer of wines in Portugal. The fields of the estate were granted to the Azevedo family in the 11th century by royal decree, and an illustration of the Quinta's original 15th century tower is depicted on Azevedo's labels. The estate is situated in north west Portugal with the Minho River to the north, separating it from Spain's Rías Baixas wine region, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the city of Porto to the south, and the Serra de Marᾶo mountains on the east with the Douro Valley beyond. This, the largest, and oldest of the Portuguese wine regions, is the home of Vinho Verde. Guedes abandoned the traditional high-trained pergola system of the Vinho Verde region, and planted 35 hectares with cordon-trained vines, ensuring better exposure of the grapes and aeration of the vine canopy, which help to prevent disease and produce riper fruit. They farm using sustainable practices. A new winery with state-of-the-art facilities was also built, and it is here where Azevedo create their signature fresh and precise wines - a modern interpretation of the white wines of Vinho Verde.