Tânia Sousa has just joined the Lavradores de Feitoria team – a Douro project that brings together 15 producers and 19 farms, distributed across the three sub-regions of the Douro, in the production of wines under the brands 'Lavradores de Feitoria', 'Gadiva', 'Três Bagos', 'Meruge' and 'Quinta da Costa das Aguaneiras' – thus strengthening the company's sales and commercial department. Tânia will report directly to the company's management, being responsible for coordinating and monitoring the companies that distribute Lavradores wines. of Feitoria.
The promotion of Lavradores de Feitoria wines at fairs, tastings, wine dinners and other events aimed at customers (specialist stores, HoReCa channel and modern distribution) and the end consumer will also be ensured by Tânia Sousa. The development of campaigns, the management of the website and the maintenance of the Facebook page will also be the responsibility of this young oenologist.
At 32 years old, Tânia Sousa has a degree in Agricultural Engineering, specializing in Viticulture and Oenology, from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA). She later completed a postgraduate degree in Wine Business, taught by the Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão (ISEG) and the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, both of which are part of the Technical University of Lisbon. During her degree, she completed two grape harvest internships in Portugal – at Quinta do Monte d'Oiro, in Alenquer, and at Cortes de Cima, in Alentejo – and one at Kendall Jackson, in California. It was at the Alentejo producer that she developed her final project, which was innovative for the time: fermenting red grapes in wooden barrels of different origins and with different types of yeast.
It was in the field that he discovered a new (for him) facet of the wine world that he fell in love with. When he realised that working with consumers and market sensitivity are extremely important for outlining a producer's strategy, he began to become interested in the wine sales area, and invested in professional experience, which later turned into a career, in this area. From there to joining Sodicel in 2008 was a very short step.
At this beverage distributor, he managed the wine portfolio and relations with producers; provided technical support to sales teams; and provided specialist consultancy to HoReCa channel customers, always in partnership with producers. In 2013, Sodicel was acquired by the Heineken group and renamed Novadis. In addition to managing the wine category, he also managed spirits, a role he held until he took on this new challenge. Almost seven years gave him the opportunity to work with around twenty producers of great renown and national and international recognition, such as Sogrape, José Maria da Fonseca, Quinta do Vallado, Herdade do Rocim, Quinta da Lagoalva, Herdade dos Coelheiros, João Portugal Ramos, Casa Burmester, Monte da Ravasqueira, Niepoort, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Adega de Borba, among others.
