With family roots in Vila Nova de Famalição in the Vinho Verde region, originally from a family of farmers. His education journey began at the Catholic University of Porto, studying Food Engineering in his last year he chose oenology. From Porto his next stop was Bordeaux completing several degrees in oenology. He returned to Portugal in 1990 beginning with harvest in Vinho Verde and Douro Valley. In the last thirty vintages he has worked in France, Spain, Chile, Australia. José Maria is the winemaker at Quinta da Pedra and Quinta de Bella since 2024.