On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 09:45:49 +0100, Ruud Harmsen wrote:

> RH:
> ... Duas Quintas? Two fifths, or two vinyard farms?
>
> Tue, 25 Nov 2003 06:51:14 +0100: Magda >: in
> soc.culture.portuguese:
>
>>A "quinta" is NOT 1/5 ("um quinto"), but a large, cultivated and inhabited property.
>
> I know. My 2/5ths translation was a joke.
> But one theory as to the origin of the word is a 20% fee that farmers
> had to pay to the land owners.
> OTOH, Porto Editora traces the word back to the Latin word 'quintana'
> = pequeno mercado no acampamento = small market in an army camp.
> (not sure if that is what 'acampamento' means in this context - please
> correct anyone who can)

Both Duas Quintas and Charamba are among Portuguese wines readily
available all over the world. Of the two, Duas Quintas is better and more
expensive.

Neither are truly representative of better Portuguese wines, which are
typically not exported at least through the usual high volumes circuits.