There is no running water or electricity in Chã, though residents are increasingly using generators at night to light and power their homes.

All non-drinking water is collected rainwater, stored in large cistern tanks for use in the dry season (November to July).

[4] With his background in engineering and medicine, he oversaw construction of a road from Sao Filipe to Mosteiros and sank wells that are still in use today.

[6] Many of the inhabitants of Chã, with their light skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, can trace their ancestry back to the biologically prolific Count of Montrond.

[7] Pico do Fogo erupted again in November 2014, destroying 75% of the buildings in Portela, Bangaeira and Ilhéu de Losna.

48% of these are designated as rare and/or threatened on the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and Fisheries' (MAAP) “Red List,” which includes the species Cynanchum daltonii, Echium volcanorum, Erysimum caboverdeanum, Verbascum cystolithicum, Lavandula rotundifolia, Periploca laevigata sp.

These plants are specifically adapted to the caldera's climate (periodically, Chã receives frost during the winter months) and volcanic soils.

Chã's endemic plants, along with its unique terrain, are under increasing strain due to overgrazing and to the fuel and fodder collecting of the local populations.

It is also a factor that enables the village to grow and withhold a grape and winery industry; something that could hardly be achieved or sustained in any of its low-lying counterparts.

Chã has a lot of vegetation (albeit not in the lava fields), which grows in the rich volcanic soils adjacent to the crater rim.

The “Chã” label wines, however, are available outside of the country on a limited basis, especially in Cape Verdean enclaves in Massachusetts, Lisbon, Paris, and Rotterdam.

The “Chã” label wines, made by the Associação (with help from the Italian NGO Cospe and the EU), are full-bodied and rich in color and extract.

The white wine, vinho branco, made from locally grown Moscatel grapes, has a fresh taste, unique clarity, and golden shades.

However, unlike with the white, the grapes used for the passito are first sun-dried, after which these uvas passas, or raisins, are put through the regular fermentation and filtration processes.

The passito has a dark amber color; is slightly more viscous than the white, red, and rosé; and has a pleasant acidity to balance its sweetness.

The pulp is then put in specially-designed barrels in the cellar, where the temperature remains cool even during the hottest days, to begin the fermentation process.

The white and rosé wines, on the other hand, are immediately filtered after the first fermentation to maintain freshness and to avoid bacteria growth.

Until the wines are bottled, they remain in barrels (to avoid exposure to sunlight and air), except for periodic filtrations to improve clarity.

Adjoining, there is the newly constructed winery "Adega de Monte Barro", for the vinification, aging and bottling of the wines.

During the festivities of April 30, 2013, the "Adega de Monte Barro" was inaugurated and the new wines were presented to the President, the prime minister and other officials of Cape Verde.

Odors include that of the sweet, tart fruits of the caldera (like quince, apples, and grapes), flavors which combine nicely with the strength of the spirit's alcohol.

The destilado com ervas digestivas, or spirit with herbs, has the unique taste, aroma, potency, and medicinal properties to help with post-dinner digestion.