Algarve Vineyards Wine Regions Experience

When considering visiting wineries in Portugal, the first thing that comes in our mind is the Port wine. However, wineries from various parts of Portugal produce all sorts of wines.

Viticulture in Portugal started about 4000 years ago and nowadays it is home to numerous local grape varieties. The mild climate and its rich soil make possible for Portugal to produce some of the best wines in the world.

Portugal has a strong wine tradition, and this means that the magnificent quality of its wines is recognized across the world. It even has numerous awards from international competitions. So, there is nothing like visiting these regions to discover what they have to offer.

In the Douro and the Alentejo regions you will find the largest number of places for wine tourism, but there are also some areas that receive visitors all over the country, like the Algarve.

The Algarve wine region has a warm climate and this makes it perfect for fruit production because it makes the fruit juicier and sweeter. The wine produced here has a higher alcoholic volume.

This is due to the climate that accelerates the vine growing season and makes the grapes juicier and sweeter even before they achieve the full flavor potential. Consequently, the wine becomes high in alcohol, but it is low in acidity.

The wine region of Algarve is protected by the mountains that surround it. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why many young winemakers have come to this area.

Today, the wines produced here are considered some of the best wines from Portugal and internationally.

The wineries in the Algarve are mostly centered around Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Tavira. The red wines here are made of the Castelão and Tinta Negra Mole grapes, while the white wines are achieved from Arinto and Síria grapes. They all have some velvety and warm flavors.

The Algarve region is a demarcated wine region since 1980. It has 4 distinct DOCs (areas that have protected designation of origin): Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Tavira.

The great majority of vineyards are placed in the western and central areas of the Algarve, so you can find good quality wine and highly recommended itineraries around Lagos, and going East towards Silves, Portimão, Albufeira and Loulé. Besides, visitors that get here can enjoy many other attractions, like beaches, the mountain biking trails, the golf courses, the horse riding, and also boat trips.

Have you ever wondered what the word “sommelier” means or what is the job that it implies?

As the number of people that are interested in drinking wine grows, so does the number of those who want to learn about it. Wanting to become an expert means heading to a career as a Sommelier, and just for few to the prestigious role of Master Sommelier.

The word “sommelier” means ‘wine steward’ and the term gains prestige. That is why, when we hear about someone referred to as a Sommelier, we expect from that person a certain level of expertise that goes far beyond a wine waiter.

Becoming a Sommelier involves years of education and of experience. Furthermore, it means knowing a lot about wine in all its senses: how to serve it, its history and its production, and above all about the art of wine and food pairing. So, a Sommelier is a highly qualified wine professional who normally works in a dining foundation.

By choosing a wine tour in Algarve, you may have the opportunity to learn about the cycle of a wine farm: from the vineyard to the bottle, visiting and understanding the process of winemaking. This makes possible to have a general overview about the complexity of making a wine, the steps that are involved and also the factors that influence the result.

Finally, you can apply all the knowledge acquired with the wine tastings, by using the correct techniques and understanding this way the essential concepts that are involved. The wine degustation is after all the best way to discover more about each area property and about the wine industry, but at the same time about the history of wine in Portugal and especially in Algarve.

Although there is a small number of wineries in the Algarve area that produces white wines, this part of Portugal is best known for the red wines processed here. The red wines from the Algarve wine region are mostly obtained from the Crato Branco and the Tinta Negra Mole grape categories. Moreover, this land receives more than 3000 hours of sun every year, which creates the perfect conditions for the production of juicy red wines. These wines are enjoyable to drink and also low in acidity and depth, which makes them soft.

The white wines from the Algarve region are less produced than the red ones. Nevertheless, the white wines are fresh and perfect for the summer days. You enjoy them better if they are chilled. Moreover, apart from the table wines, Algarve also produces white liqueur wines from Siria and Moscatel Graudo grape varietals.