Winery

Estremadura has developed into one of the major wine regions of Portugal and covers various regions around the capital Lisbon. Wine has been cultivated in Estremadura for many centuries – adding to the rich heritage.

Today this wine producing area is referred to as the Lisboa region and is Portugal’s largest producer of wine by volume. It has nine subregions which all have the country’s highest wine classification as Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) – which means generally that this area is protected and recognised as a fabulous wine region. Some of the vines grow along the coast and take longer to ripen because of the Atlantic winds while others are nestled in sunnier inland spots and are protected by pretty undulating hills.

Although the Lisboa region produces many different styles and varieties of wine from the myriad of vineyards dotted all over its landscape, the more traditional white grape varieties are Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara Nova and Vital. The red varieties include Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira.

The wine from Bucelas has been sipped and savoured for centuries and continues to be a distinguished flavoursome wine made just outside of Lisbon.

Being so close to the vibrant capital, the small town of Bucelas enjoys plenty of visitors who stop off to sample the high-quality wines that grow in this small vineyard region close to the Tagus estuary.

Although viticulture existed in this part of Portugal since Roman times it was not popularised outside of Portugal until the Duke of Wellington discovered its charms while he was in the country fighting in the Peninsular War in the early 1800s. This led to large quantities being exported to Great Britain where Bucelas wine became a fashionable drink in London.

Fast forward a couple of centuries and although the production of Bucelas wine is not as vast as it once was the vines continue to produce a first-class white wine using predominately the Arinto grape. There are different types of Bucelas wines with a variety of characteristics from fruity zesty flavours to rich, oak-inspired tastes. Some of the well-known labels include Morgado de Santa Catherina, Prova Régia, Quinta do Avelar and Quinta da Murta.

In Sintra there's a little wine region that produces a ruby-coloured wine that increases its unusual velvety texture and bouquet as it grows old. The distinguished Colares wine region is where you will find this excellent-quality wine as well as stunning views over the ocean.

The vines are grown in very sandy soil and the branches extend in a unique way twisting and turning along the ground giving them an unusual appearance. It’s thanks to this extraordinary growth pattern that the Colares vines were spared from a grape pest blight that destroyed a huge amount of vines across Europe in the 19th century.

The vines grow along the southwestern coast of Colares which falls in the Estremadura region of Portugal and are protected from the Atlantic breezes by large sand dunes. Typically they produce full-bodied, red wines and the grape varieties include Arinto, Jampal and Malvasia.

The Ribatejo region unfolds along the river Tagus from Portugal’s capital Lisbon to the river Zêzere. The beautiful countryside is verdant and green with fertile riverside meadows.

Vines have also been growing on this land for centuries. In fact, Ribatejo’s wine history goes back such a long way that the monarchs of the 14th and 15th centuries were so impressed with its taste they banned any other wine coming into the region from elsewhere.

Today the wines from Ribatejo are just as celebrated locally with several different wine routes on offer to visitors who want to explore this region while enjoying some rich red and white wines along the way.

This wine-growing area is home to two nature reserves – the Estuário do Tejo and Paul do Boquilobo – as well as Almourol Castle, which sits on a tiny islet, and the picturesque town of Constância.

The well-made white wines from Ribatejo are smooth, velvety, fruity and sometimes can have a strong, full-bodied alcohol content.

Renowned good quality wines are the Convento de Tomar, the Caves Dom Teodósio and the Quinta de Alorna, and are served locally to complement the meat and fish specialities from the region.

Stepped in a wine-making tradition the terrain of Bairrada continues to be a major region for white and red wines. Located at the foot of the Caramulo and Buçaco hills and extending to the coast, the climate in this area of Portugal is extremely favourable for good grape growing.

The vines here are cultivated in small plots of flat land and two different types of soil are used; clay limestone and sandy. It’s these soils which partly influence the taste of the grape and the cool climate of Bairrada also helps.

This region is well-known for its sparkling wines produced from such grape varieties as the Maria Gomes, Arinto and Bical. In terms of reds, Bairrada produces fully bodied and beautifully-tasting wines and uses the local red grape called Baga which helps to give a rich, complex and fruity taste.

Like other Portuguese wine-growing regions, Bairrada also uses national and international grape varieties like the popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot.