Awful news

[Roy Hersh]

I learned and am very sorry to report today that a good friend of mine, Carlos Raposo (of Niepoort and later his own project in Dao: Vinhos Imperfeitos) has passed away. I knew he was not well in 2025 and was hospitalized. He spent the past several months in a coma from an infection he developed while in the hospital. I am not positive about his exact age, but believe he was around 42 years young. This is terrible news for anyone who knew this kind and quiet young man. I first met him when he was 27 years old and began working for Niepoort, after Luis Seabra's parting from there.

Condolences to Carlos's entire family and may he Rest In Peace.

[Andy Velebil]

Wow that’s horrible.

[Eric Menchen]

He was so passionate and energetic. So sad.

[Moses Botbol]

My condolences to his family and friends.

[Andrew Kirschner]

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. All of our condolences to his family.

[Moses Botbol]

Will have to open one in remembrance.

[David Spriggs]

OMG! I am shocked and very sad. He was one of the most talented winemakers that I have ever seen. What a loss. I'll raise a toast for him.

[Glenn E.]

That's very sad, he was so young.

[Roy Hersh]

I was wrong, he was 41 years young.

I knew his health was not good during the 4th quarter of 2025. Nobody was saying what was wrong with him. I had learned that he was in a coma most of this year. I have heard from one friend, where he was a consulting oenologist that he had contracted Pancreatitis. While I do believe this individual, this is unverified.

Either way, this is tragic news which is now flowing in all regions here in PT.

He has a young family and this is being felt around the country, as is the case when these types of things happen ... which shows how small of a "community" Portugal really is.

He was a fine human being, an extraordinarily kind guy, and phenomenally talented winemaker. I enjoyed visiting him when he was with Niepoort, in Douro, Dao when it first was being built, and Bairrada. When he started his own project Vinhos Imperfeito, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. He and one other friend, also Carlos, invited me to dinner. He poured his very first three white wines and asked me to give opinions. IIRC, one was 100% from Dao, one was a mix of Dao with a small amount of Vinho Verde and another with VV dominant. I could be wrong.

What stood out to me at this 2017/2019 era dinner in Porto, was that he mentioned he was going to price his top white wine at 300 Euros and the other two, fairly close. No white wine in PT at that time sold for even half that price. My jaw dropped. That said, I loved the trio and those who know me, realize my infinity for the Encruzado grape. He also used a bunch of Alvarinho. I read him my TNs that I rarely ever did on my phone back then, but the "other" Carlos had asked me to. At the end, C. Raposo asked me for my scores. That I do remember well, because at the time, they were the highest I had ever rated ANY Portuguese white wine, (that was not Madeira). My ratings were 96, 97, 96. He smiled at me and I thought it was due to my insanely high scores for his white wines. Obviously he would not have shown them until he was sure he finally chose the right vintage and nailed what he had hoped to achieve. He told me he had shown these to only a few UK and PT wine journalists he trusted for their knowledge of PT wines from his region. And he smiled again telling me who the others were ... AND that I had scored the three ... the lowest of anybody who had tasted them.

I will miss Carlos, his warm demeanor, quiet confidence, dry sense of humor and extraordinary care in his winemaking, always trying to make really spectacular and unusual blends, and some mono-casta wines as well. Sincere condolences were sent today to Mariana and his family.

[Eric Ifune]

What!
I visited last year. He had a two year old baby! I was playing with him at the winery. I think it was his third child! And he had doubled his production volume the past few years! Things were looking so positive. I'm so shocked and saddened.

[Roy Hersh]

P.S. I took a break from the newsletter, which I will have done soon, tomorrow is most likely ...


But the story I discussed in the prior post, I found pictures of that evening with Carlos Raposo. It was September 18th 2019 to be exact just prior to the Port Harvest Tour 2. I will post a photo in the newsletter and tomorrow, also on the For The Love Of Port facebook page. I have two from that evening, so I will look again in the daylight.

[Roy Hersh]

Eric,

Yeah, Portugal across all worlds here is equally shocked and saddened. This is really awful and the outpouring of love from the wine community and others, is incredible, and rightfully so.