The World Wine Museum has opened in Porto and Portugal has been added to the list of UK travel brokers, two wonderful reasons to raise a glass for one of the most underrated wine destinations in the world. Europe
Last modified on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 11:34 CEST
As the birthplace of Port wine, Port attracts wine lovers, but the city hopes to increase its appeal with the opening of a € 105 million museum complex committed to fermented grapes. The global of wine (Wow), which opened its doors on July 31, celebrates the age-old love of winemaking, while also demonstrating Portugal’s trust as a famous wine-making nation. Caught like a multi-tiered wedding cake on the sloping south bank of the Douro River, the city’s new “cultural district” looms with aplomb. six museum spaces for immersive exhibits (the Wine Experience even has simulated walkways with a false sky), big screen videos and interactive games for children, the assignment is aimed at teaching and entertaining, there are also restaurants, cafes, bars and many shops.
Wow is managed through the Fladgate Partnership, one of twelve wineries that dominate the country’s wine industry. However, behind the big brands, global Portuguese wine is still varied and highly localized. How do you get the taste of genuine life? Get off the tourist trail. Here is our selection of tactics for exploring the country’s wine regions.
Unless you’re sober, it’s not ideal to be the designated driving force on a wine tour. Better to swap the 4 wheels for two and explore Portugal’s wine region by bike. Crossed through a network of well-established cycle paths, the Amarante region, home to Portugal’s iconic vinho verde, is a fair starting point. One of the most productive trails is along an old railway line that crosses the grape-planted Tâmega Valley northeast of Porto, starting in the pretty village of Arco de Baúlhe and ending in the cobblestone town of Amaranth. The local firm Amarantrilhos organizes a day of vacation along the route, with transfer from Amarante (€ 48, maximum 6 people) and bike rental (€ 16). For a mid-way lunch and wine tasting (€ 35), book a position (through the A2Z tourism company) at the picturesque Quintas das Escomoeiras estate. The owner Fernando Fernandes gives an explanation on request of the winemaking procedure (€ 25). A2Z also organizes long walks in the region. • amarantrilhos. pt
For older British drinkers, the word “Mateus” evokes nostalgia for flared trousers, permanent bubbles and cheese fondue. Sitting in 1970s beverage cabinets alongside the wonders of Blue Nun, Liebfraumilch, and Babycham, Mateus Rosé brought the flavor to many suburban drinks. We do not forget even its bottle-shaped bottle and the label representing a magnificent manor house, as well as its frizzante content. Welcome to the house of Mateus, near Vila Real, east of Porto, which has its own old cellar , has no direct connection with the famous export of roses from Portugal. Still, as a very good example of Portuguese Baroque architecture, it is worth a visit. Since the beginning of the 18th century, this former house of the Counts of Mateus comprises original exhibits and decoration, as well as fabulous gardens. A wine tasting can be done on request (10 euros – 20 euros). $ 13 (children, € 6. 50), casademateus. com
Portugal can boast excellent grapes and winemakers, but it can be said that its greatest contribution to the world of wine is cork oak. The country still houses a third of the world’s cork production, the epicenter of which is the province of Alentejo, which looks like a savannah. To take a closer look at these ancient twisted cork oaks, the cork and wine manufacturer Herdade da Maroteira offers a walking tour of its 540-hectare estate near the historic town of Evora. In the place of the skilled José, the walks come with a sensitive smost in a megalithic tomb and a picnic on the most sensitive of a hill (with delicacies such as altentejan cheese, Iberian black red meats and Maroteira wine). For the less mobile, you can take a 4×4. The agro-ecological excursion specialist Portugal Farm Experiences organizes a half-day tour of the cork, also near Evora (from 39 euros). • From 55 euros with lunch, corktrekking. com
In the 1,115 miles of the Atlantic coast of Portugal, the Setebal peninsula is one of the wildest and most beautiful, with miles of beaches, orange sand cliffs, beach bars and thick grass dunes. Nine minutes south of Lisbon, the small seaside town of Melides is as new as crisp vinho branco. Explore the beaches (or surrounding mountains) on Lusitanian horses before a tasting at the beachside stables of the sweet and lush wines the region is famous for. Wine tasting on horseback starting at $ 65; picnic (30 euros) or personal lunch (35 – 50 euros) also available, young people welcome, passeiosacavalomelides. com
Farmer’s life is by no means glamorous, but with the sun on your back and the sea air on your nose, it is not without its advantages. Other positives come with the ability to paint alongside the locals, learn about how to make wine first-hand, and practice their Portuguese (vinhedo – vineyard; grape – grape; estou exausto – I’m done). The organic wine maker Monte da Casteleja has long provided food and accommodation for those who wish to help through the WWOOF volunteer network paintings. Working alongside owner Guillaume and chief vintner Rui and their small team is a half day / half day diversity. Diversity of tasks from weeding and pruning to bottling and harvesting. Inland from Lagos, the beach is five minutes away. • WWOOF Club € 20, wwoof. pt
In central and southern Portugal in particular, the sight of grapes on the vine regularly means that there are olives on the closest branch. Both culmination are expanded in the hot and dry situations of the region, the olives have a tendency to ripen at a later time. harvest (expired in autumn and summer, respectively), thus integrating perfectly into the farmer’s agenda. At the Museu do Azeita (olive oil museum) near the Oliveira Hospital in Hospital, visitors can enjoy a birthday party of all what is the olive tree In a fashionable construction in the shape of an olive branch, the museum floor houses a collection of articles that illustrate the history and heritage of olive oil. Inspired dishes and a view of the Serra da Estrela mountain range. Designed through veteran olive grower Ant-nio Dias, the museum also has a shop that sells oils, adding Dias brands and wines from across the Beira region. ance $ 5, museudoazeite. com
Home to the Touriga Nacional vineyard (the main component of Port wine), Dão’s mild climate and mountainous terrain influence highly tannic and full-bodied wines. A new wave of winemakers is turning things around with fruitier, fresher and more complicated offerings. Most of them are independent and small-scale. The most productive way to check them out is to make a stop at one of the region’s regular wine fairs. Two of the most productive are in the towns of Nelas and Viseu in September (suspended this year due to Covid-19). The Roman city of Viseu also holds an annual combined e-book and wine festival. Now in its sixth year, previous speakers at the three-day Tinto no Branco occasion included Jonathan Coe, Michael Palin and Joanne Harris. • December 6-8, 2020, tintonobranco. pt
Just a century after the formation of Portugal in the 12th century, the first cork nailed to a bottle of Taboadella wine, in 1255. To take out its heritage, the 40-hectare cellar of Satoo has an old winery installed in a monolithic. Rock. That said, the new owners (the Amorim, a circle of relatives of four-generation winemakers) have recently renovated the site, bringing to the company the latest in kits and viticulture knowledge. On a plateau in the D’o region, the doors of Taboadella are open for a variety of tours (from 12 euros), tastings (from 12 euros), sitting meals (from 35 euros) and even a “winemaker of the day”. option (85 euros). This short course includes the wisdom of Taboadella’s winemaker masters on the art of assembly, as well as batch testing, capping and bottle labeling. • taboadella. com