My Story

About the Founder
Manuel Lacerda
I was born and raised in Porto, Portugal, a city where history and wine are inseparable from everyday life.
For most of my professional life, I followed a different path. I graduated in Mechanical Engineering and worked in the engineering field for over three decades. Later, I spent seven years in Angola, an experience that gave me distance — and perspective. It was during those years abroad that I came to fully understand the depth of my connection to Portugal: its culture, its history, and its people.
When I returned to Portugal at the age of 52, I made a life-changing decision.
I chose to dedicate myself to my lifelong passions — wine, history, and Portuguese cultural heritage.
Over time, I became an official guide, welcoming visitors from around the world and helping them discover Portugal beyond the surface. Through this work, I realized something important: many visitors arrive without truly knowing the country they are about to experience. They see the beauty, they taste the wine, but they often lack the deeper context that makes Portugal so unique.
I created Roots & Grapes to change that.
This project is an extension of my mission — to serve as an ambassador for Portugal, sharing its authentic identity through its wine regions, its gastronomy, its cities, and its centuries-old cultural roots.
Portugal is not just a destination. It is a living story.
Through Roots & Grapes, my goal is to awaken curiosity, to inspire discovery, and to help others connect with Portugal in a more meaningful and lasting way — whether through reading, traveling, or experiencing its heritage firsthand.
This is the country I call home.
And this is the story I am honored to share.
— Manuel Lacerda
Founder, Roots & Grapes