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The Algarve Wine Route – Algarve Plus Magazine, Apr 2022

The Algarve Wine Route – Wine tours are a great way to discover one of Portugal’s best products, but defining the best wine route in Algarve is difficult because there are so many interesting options. Here’s just a taste of the local wineries that will welcome you!

I am happy to share that the June issue of the Algarve Plus Magazine has already been published, with my new article!

If you want to discover them by yourself, head to my article in the online magazine below to find some of these wineries.
But, if you need a professional wine tour guide, feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to help you to discover the Algarve wines!

The magazine is readable online or downloaded for free here.

Enjoy!

Or read here the whole article:


 

The Algarve Wine Route

Wine tours are the best ways to discover one of the best products in Portugal. I know that you, as a wine tourist, want not only to taste the flavors but also to know the whole process of making and feeling the wine. And one of the best ways to do this is to visit local wineries.

So, today I invite you to travel through the history of the Algarve wine region to find the soils, grape varieties, wines, and various wine tourism activities.

Defining the best wine route in Algarve is difficult because there are so many great options… but now, I bring you some of the local wineries you should visit. They look forward to welcoming you!

There is a vineyard along the banks of the Arade River, which is overlooking Silves, this is the Arvad Wines. The winery with its 9 hectares of land was born in 2016 on the place where the wine was introduced into Portuguese territory by Phoenician travelers. A winery where each visit is a travel in time, whether walking through the vineyard or taking a boat ride along the river. And on the winery’s porch, among the amphorae and a magnificent view of the Arade River on the horizon, you can taste their wines, accompanied by some regional delicacies.

They are open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm. The prices range between 17,50 and 50 €, depending on the type of tasting you choose.

You can book a tour on their website (https://arvad.pt/en/), by email (geral@arvad.pt), or by phone (+351 963 396 275), at least 24 hours in advance.

 

On the left bank of the River Arade, close to Silves, where the Convent of Nossa Senhora do Paraíso was built in the 12th century after the conquest of Silves, is located the Quinta de Mata-Mouros, an oasis of freshwater springs, fertile lands, and lush vegetation. A traditional winery that is preserving the original buildings, combines the traditional treading press with the use of high-tech equipment to produce very high-quality wines by their “Convento do Paraíso” project.

They are open for visitors with different tours such as vineyard and winery visits, even a picnic in the vines, and each program contains wine tasting as well. They adapt the schedules to visitors’ needs but bookings are recommended in advance that can be done by phone (on WhatsApp as well) (+351 911 933 949), on their website (www.conventodoparaiso.com), by email (info@conventodoparaiso.com), or even through Instagram (@conventodoparaiso). The prices range from 12-42,50 €, depending on the tour type. And if you need also accommodation, find their Casa do Planalto in Silves, near the vineyard.

 

Where the Monchique mountains meet the Atlantic Ocean, amongst orange groves and olive orchards locates a family-owned wine estate, Morgado do Quintão, one of the first vineyards of the Algarve. Wine, art, nature, simplicity, and good taste – these are the words to define the current winery. Playing with low intervention and organic methods they work to protect their rich and diverse environment.

Wine tasting and purchasing are always available on the vineyard, and they do accept groups for lunches and dinners as well. Usually on the low season from Monday to Friday, and also on Saturdays on the high season. But they are available for any specific celebrations as well. Besides that, a long table is set daily at the estate under their 2000-year-old olive tree, where you can be a guest for a 3-course menu paired with 3-4 wines. The prices range between 25-55 €.

Beyond the vines, olive groves, and almond orchards here amongst the estate, they also open up their gates to people from around the world to stay in their old whitewashed vineyard cottages.

Bookings are available through their website (www.morgadodoquintao.pt/experiences), by phone (+351 965202529), or by email (info@morgadodoquintao.pt).

 

To the southeast of Silves, Quinta do Outeiro extends over an area of 30 acres of vineyards. This is the Paxá Wines that was founded with a shared passion of a father and son. The name Paxá means Pasha in English referring to their motto: “To be a Pasha is making a toast to life every day.”

Those interested are welcome to go on a wine tour that starts with a cellar visit and a short walk through the vineyard, finishing with a tasting of 3 wines and tapas in their tasting room. They have 2 tours each weekday, in the morning and afternoon. Visits need to be booked by email (wineshop@paxawines.pt) or phone (918 126 664 / 968 315 059). You can choose Standard (15 €) or Paxá Lifestyle (20 €) tasting with or without a vineyard tour. And it is also possible to buy their wines locally during the opening hours on weekdays: 10:00-13:00 / 14:30-17:30.

They promise that their vineyard tours and tastings make you feel one real Pasha. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?

There’s a picturesque small village among the mountains, next to Loulé, named Tôr. The recognizable image of the village is the Roman Bridge and close to it, a beautiful vineyard, named Quinta da Tôr.

Since 2011 this property has had a new owner, and together with the microclimate, 47 hectares of vineyard, and 7 grape varieties, its brand image is wines with around 16-17 degrees of alcohol levels, with an unexpected smoothness, explosion of flavors, and complexity.

The winery is open in the low season every day between 10 am – 7 pm, in the high season 10 am – 8 pm. Guided cellar visits with a tasting of 4 wines are available in English (at 11 am or 14.30 pm) and Portuguese (at 11.30 am and 14.30 pm). The prices start from 10 € per person, depending on your consumption and the number of tasted wines.

But if you just want to refresh yourself sitting at their pool in the summertime, tasting their wines with some tapas, you can do that anytime during their working hours.

The winery often organizes various events, workshops, and programs as well. And in a short time, they will also have accommodation available.

For booking, head to their website (www.quintadator.com), call or message them on Whatsapp (+351968427271), or send an email to geral@quintadator.com.

Nestled in the hills of Silves, on the Odelouca River Valley of Algarve, you can find Quinta do Francês, a family estate, founded by a French pathologist, in 2008. The south-facing slopes and terraces with the water from the river nearby give perfect conditions for its grapes. The winery, in a typical Algarvian style with a modern structure also has an excellent showroom for tastings, expositions, and wine shopping, with some local products (jam, honey, liquors, medronho) for your purchase. And their terrace features a panoramic view over the vineyard that you can admire while tasting their beautiful wines.

From mid-March to mid-November they are open every day (except Sundays and public holidays): 10 am – 1 pm & 2 pm – 5.30 pm. In the winter season, it is closed on weekends.

Guided winery tours are taken on weekdays in English, Portuguese, and French languages and contain a cellar visit with a tasting of 3 wines. Plus, you have the possibility to ask for extra tapas tables (6 €/pp) and wines (2 €/glass). The tour prices range from 8,50 €/person. Bookings are required by mail (quintadofrances@gmail.com) or phone (+ 351 282 106 303).

 

Situated a mere 2,3 km from the Atlantic Ocean, at Carvoeiro, there is a beautiful wine farm with a winery and cellar, a craft brewery, a trendy restaurant, and accommodation. This is the Quinta dos Santos, an impressive family venture founded in 2016, because they had a lifelong dream to create a winery in South African style, in addition to a craft beer production. The winery has a selection of red, white, and rose wines, amphora wines, and also Blanc de Noir sparkling wines manufactured by traditional methods. The beer is freshly brewed using no preservatives. Quinta’s architecture is specifically based on the old Portuguese building style with Moorish influence, and in the center courtyard stands a beautiful 200-year-old olive tree.

They run guided wine tours with a tasting of 3 wines from Tuesday to Friday starting at 4 pm for 15 €/person.

Brewery tours are also offered with a tasting of craft beers that run from Tuesday to Friday, starting at 3 pm, for 15 €/person.

The tours can be booked via email at reservations@quintadossantos.com.

In addition, their restaurant is open Tuesday – Saturday, 1 pm – 10 pm where you can enjoy light tapas or a full meal before or after your tour and tasting experience.

 

Nested between Ria de Alvor and Serra de Monchique, the birthplace of this project is Villa Alvor, formerly known as Quinta do Morgado da Torre, an 80-hectare estate with vineyards and winery. The vines are planted in limestone soils similar to the great terroir of Burgundy and Provence.

The winery can be visited Monday to Friday, April to September: 9 am – 1 pm & 2 pm – 6 pm, October to March: 10 am-1 pm &  2 pm-5 pm.

Between 10-20 €, they offer 5 different vineyard/cellar visits with tastings, even with pairing notes if ordered.

The visits can be booked by phone (+351 282 476 866) or email (loja.villaalvor@aveleda.pt).

All their wines are available at the winery, in their online shop, and in some local Algarve restaurants.

In the heart of the Western Algarve, a superb wine estate is situated, the Quinta dos Vales. This 44-hectare estate was founded in 2007, and its wines are made from 15 different grape varieties. All the labels on the bottles are representations of the producer’s art, as the combination of wine and art – the 2 passions of the producer – is a recurring theme throughout the estate. Their wines which are multi-awarded borders from here and beyond, also won the ‘Best Wine of the Algarve’ award 5 times in the last 10 years.

The winery is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5:30 pm. The guided visits are available for Private (in the morning or at the latest 4 pm) or Open groups (at 2:30 pm) to the wine cellar with a tasting of 4 wines (accompanied by fresh bread & olive oil dip), and their prices range between 14,90 – 24,90 €. You can also purchase their wines in place, and there are also possibilities for accommodation, lunch, or dinner for groups as a catering service, bottle blending workshop, and a restaurant that is also scheduled to open in the second half of 2022.

Book your tour through their website: https://quintadosvales.pt/en/ .


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