Adega da Vidigueira with lively wine tourism program
07/11/2023In November, wine month is celebrated in Vidigueira. Throughout the month, the winery offers a discovery of knowledge from other times, an immersive journey through the genuine Alentejo, devoid of pretensions. The main theme is the opening of the wine cellars and the tasting of new wine. Carved wine, produced with grapes from centuries-old vineyards, the oldest in the area, is the center of attention, as it is produced using a technique developed by the Romans and brought to Portugal two thousand years ago, becoming a symbol largest in Alentejo.
The program throughout the month is varied, with four highlights: On November 4th, the festivities begin with the opening of the wine tourism space in Vila de Frades, Taberna dos Arcos. On this day, at 5pm, the opening of the oldest wine cellar, dating from 1656, stands out. To the sound of Alentejo songs from the Choral Group of the Adega Cooperativa de Vidigueira, Cuba and Alvito, the new wine will be served, accompanied by regional snacks.
On November 11th at 6pm, the traditional Magusto de São Martinho will take place at Casa das Talhas. On November 14th, World Wine Tourism Day is celebrated, which falls on the 2nd Sunday of November. On this special day, all visits to Casa das Talhas and tastings of talhas wine are free. On November 18th, as part of the 20th Edition of the Enóphilo Wine Fest, which will take place in Porto, the winery will have a special tasting: «Flavor with history: Vinho de Talha DOC Alentejo», where it will be possible to taste a restricted selection of wines made with this ancestral method.
Taberna dos Arcos will be open every weekend, between November 4th and 10th
December, at the following times: Friday, from 6pm – 10pm, Saturday from 11am – 10pm and
Sunday from 11am – 8pm. There are always regional snacks ready to serve and every Saturday a different choral group to entertain and make this visit even more special. Throughout the month, it is still possible to reserve Casa das Talhas for group carving opening events.
Chestnuts and New Wine Tasting at Quinta de Santa Cristina
06/11/2023To enjoy the S. Martinho summer, Quinta de Santa Cristina celebrates the Magusto tradition, where roast chestnuts are eaten and new red wine is tasted. The event will take place on November 11, 2023, at 3 pm, at Quinta de Santa Cristina – Rua de Santa Cristina, 80 – Veade, 4890-573 Celorico de Basto.
The activity will begin with a guided tour of the winery, in which participants will be able to learn about the winemaking process from the grape reception area, through the traditional stone presses, through the vats and fermentation area, ending in the bottling and labeling area.
After learning about the production process, a regional snack will follow, consisting of cornbread, ham, chorizo, cheese, jam, patties, cod fritters, breaded bread and, of course, the usual chestnuts roasted over the traditional fire. To accompany it, visitors will be able to help themselves to new red wine directly from the vat and other Quinta de Santa Cristina wines already bottled.
The price of the activity is 15 euros per adult, 8 euros for young people aged 5 to 17 and free for children up to 4 years old. Registration is mandatory and must be completed by November 10, 2023 on our website: https://www.quintadesantacristina.pt/enoturismo
Other contacts: E-mail: enoturismo@quintadesantacristina.pt; Telephone: +351 912 527 396 (Call to national mobile network)
In the month of S. Martinho, go to the winery and taste the wine in Torre de Palma
02/11/2023On São Martinho Day, November 11th, at 4pm, Torre de Palma Wine Hotel invites wine tourists to sit around the bonfire to celebrate magusto with chestnuts, wine and snacks. The menu includes:
Roasted Chestnuts, Alentejo Bread in a Wood Oven, Cheese and Sausage Boards, Meat Ball, Torre de Palma Wines.
Offer is subject to availability and pre-booking. For more information and reservations, contact Torre de Palma Wine Hotel by email reservas@torredepalma.com or phone +351 245 038 890 or WhatsApp +351 936 004 264.
Marquês de Borba: new harvests of a great Alentejo classic arrive on the market
31/10/2023To toast the rentrée, producer João Portugal Ramos suggests the most recent harvests of two wines belonging to one of his most emblematic brands – the Marquês de Borba Colheita white 2022 and the Marquês de Borba Colheita red 2021. The Marquês de Borba brand combines Alentejo tradition with enormous quality, present since the first harvest in 1997, having become, over the years, an unavoidable symbol of the region and ambassador outside the doors of Alentejo wines. Today, it is present in more than 40 countries.
Coming from the Arinto, Antão Vaz and Viognier grape varieties, the Marquês de Borba Colheita white 2022, featured a manual harvest, where the grapes were harvested early in the morning, into small boxes, with the aim of preserving freshness, and then cooled in a chamber refrigerator before being vinified. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. With an open citrine color, the aroma also highlights citrus notes with a slight minerality. In the mouth, it has a good structure with well-marked and balanced acidity, with a long finish. Regarding pairing suggestions, this white wine can be served as an aperitif or to accompany fish, vegetarian, egg and salad dishes.
Marquês de Borba Colheita red 2021 is the result of a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Petit Verdot and Merlot grape varieties. With manual and mechanical harvesting, in the winemaking process, the grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and cooled. After pre-fermentation maceration, part of the grapes were fermented in marble lagares and the rest in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature. The internship took place for six months in second and third year French and American oak half barrels. In the glass, it presents an excellent aromatic concentration. It is an intense fruity red, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and jams. Its tannins are soft and it has a good balance between fruit, acidity and tannins.
The iconic line of wines also includes the references Marquês de Borba Vinhas Velhas Red, Marquês de Borba Vinhas Velhas White, Marquês de Borba Espumante Rosé, Marquês de Borba Late Harvest and, finally, Marquês de Borba Reserva.
Now available on the market, the pair of wines are for sale in specialized wine stores from North to South of the country and on the Horeca channel. It is on sale everywhere, including supermarkets from north to south.
José de Sousa invites you to go to the “Adega to taste the wine, in the month of São Martinho”
30/10/2023“On São Martinho’s Day, go to the winery and taste the wine” is the program that Adega José de Sousa proposes for the entire month of November. Because tradition must be maintained and fulfilled, this winery, located in the Alentejo plains of Reguengos de Monsaraz, invites its visitors to taste new wine, vinified in the wine cellars, and two other wines produced by José de Sousa, accompanied by tasting some of the regional products, including chestnuts, of course, or if this weren’t the month of Saint Martin.
Watch the complete program of Adega José de Sousa and “Go to the Cellar and Taste the Wine”:
Dates: November 1st to 30th 2022, at 11am or 3pm
Minimum 2 people and maximum 16 people
The program includes:
– Guided tour;
– Tasting of new wine;
– Tasting of 2 wines (Monte da Ribeira White and Puro Talha Red);
– Tasting of regional products: sheep cheese, sausages, Alentejo bread and olive oil.
– “São Martinho Kit” offer: a bottle of wine and a small bag of chestnuts to roast at home for every two people.
Price per person: €26
Price per child: €7.50
Price per family (2 adults + 2 children): €60
(includes tasting of 2 juices and gift box of pencils and drawings for children)
Reservations:
Tlm: +351 918 269 569 / Whatsapp available: +351 918 269 569
Email: josedesousa@jmfonseca.pt
Abreu Advogados recognized internationally
26/10/2023Abreu Advogados, one of APENO’s main partners (and which has greatly supported the fight for legislation for Wine Tourism), was one of the winners of the Financial Time Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2023, which took place recently in London.
In a ceremony that rewarded the most innovative and disruptive projects and companies in Europe, Abreu Advogados received the ‘Innovation in Skills Development” award for the work developed by the Abreu Advogados Knowledge Institute, led by Professor Luís Barreto Xavier.
Founded in 2012, the Knowledge Institute is one of the first knowledge centers incubated in a law firm and is one of the most important milestones in Abreu Advogados’ strategy. The company’s mission is to be an innovative society open to the community, which is why it believes that the production and sharing of relevant knowledge is fundamental, which is done through collaboration with companies, universities, research centers and other institutions.
This morning, the FT Law Firm Index 2023 was also published, where Abreu occupies the 16th position in the ranking, thus becoming the most innovative company operating in Portugal, according to the annual survey that gives rise to the Financial Times ranking, which highlighted the 50 most innovative law firms in Europe.
«These are results that we are very proud of, especially in the year in which we complete our 30th anniversary, and to which we owe, in the first instance, to our Customers and Partners, who trust us and challenge us daily to do more and better, and to our people, who put all their energy and knowledge at the service of clients, in the search for solid and disruptive solutions in each project» says the Abreu Advogados statement. And he concludes: «Our mission is to put the future into practice, anticipating challenges and implementing the necessary changes, so despite the great pride we feel when we look at the past, we know well the responsibility that this award entails and we are even more focused on prepare what is to come, with determination, ambition, audacity and humanism».
Halloween spirit invades Cockburn’s cellars for ‘Fright Night’
24/10/2023For the second time, Cockburn’s Cellars opens its doors to fearless visitors on the scariest night of the year. To mark Halloween, ‘Fright Night’ is back at the historic Port wine aging warehouse – owned by Symington Family Estates –, in Vila Nova de Gaia, providing the unique opportunity to discover that space in the silence of the night, at lantern light. The addition of a second date is one of the new features this year, with sessions scheduled for the 28th and 31st of October, at 9:30 pm.
Discover the scariest stories from the Cockburn’s warehouse – this is the suggestion of the renowned Port wine house, which invites participants to discover a different side of the Cellars. The experience begins with a guided tour of the lodge, illuminated by the gentle light of lanterns, which will reveal all the details – even the most hidden ones – of the history of Cockburn’s, the warehouse and the wines that age there. Cockburn’s warehouse is the largest in the historic area of Vila Nova de Gaia, holding more than 6,500 barrels of Port wine in aging and the equivalent of more than 10,000 barrels in vats, which allow it to maintain traditional aging in wine-filled oak bark. .
At the end, visitors will be taken to the tasting room, where a tasting of three of the brand’s renowned wines awaits them: the irreverent Tails of Unexpected Ruby Soho, Cockburn’s Late Bottled Vintage and Cockburn’s Special Reserve.
Participation in the ‘Fright Night’, at Cockburn’s Cellars, costs 18 euros per person and is subject to mandatory reservation, at least 48 hours in advance. For the guided tour, registrants must bring a flashlight or cell phone with them. It should be noted that the activity depends on a minimum of 10 registrations. More information is available on the Cockburn’s website (www.cockburns.com/visit-us), via email (cockburnslodge@cockburns.com), or by telephone (913 007 950).
About Symington Family Estates – The Symingtons, of Scottish, English and Portuguese descent, have been producers of Port wine in the north of Portugal since 1882. For five generations they have combined their passion for producing wines, especially Port wines, from high quality with its strong commitment to the region and its people. Today, ten members of the Symington family work in their four famous Port wine houses – Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s – as well as in their Douro wine projects: Quinta do Vesúvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano, Prats & Symington (Chryseia) and, his most recent, Quinta da Fonte Souto, in Alto Alentejo. Symington Family Estates is one of the main producers of premium Ports and the family is the main owner of vineyards in the Douro, with 26 farms covering 2,420 hectares, of which 1,114 are vineyards. The vineyards are managed under sustainability principles, with 130 hectares having organic certification – the largest area of organic vineyards in the Douro. The family has made significant investments in R&D in viticulture, to adapt to climate change, and promotes an ambitious sustainability plan called ‘Mission 2025’, which integrates a set of goals. In 2019, the company achieved B Corporation certification, becoming the first wine company in Portugal to take this important step, joining a global business community audited according to the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility, with a commitment to use business as a force for good.
Wine Stone wants to belong to the TOP 3 of wine production by 2030
23/10/2023For some time now, the Mello Group has been investing in the wine sector, especially in Monte da Ravasqueira, its property in Arraiolos, Alentejo, and also demonstrating a desire to acquire new land and take on new challenges. It has been increasingly present in the wine market with its different brands, aimed at different market segments. With always ambitious financial objectives in mind, the Group has now created a new business platform – Wine Stone – which will serve to reinforce its business activities in the wine sector and grow in different areas of economic activity.
With these new investments, the holding combines the production of Alentejo wines (Ravasqueira, Guarda Rios, Coutada Velha and Dona Vitória) with the management of assets in the Douro (Quinta do Retiro Novo and Quinta do Côtto) and in the Vinhos Verdes region (Paço de Teixeiró), expanding its production and export capacity to conquer new markets and segments. The acquisition of Krohn, a centuries-old Port wine brand, also inaugurates the Group’s entry into a new wine category: «Our portfolio has diversified brands, which we have developed and managed professionally across the commercial, premium and luxury segments, and Let’s continue with this work. Some brands are rooted in their segment, others we want to move up the pyramid, but we always want to be present throughout the pyramid, reaching out to all consumers”, explains Pedro Pereira Gonçalves, Executive President of the Group, in recent years lead the process of development and affirmation of Ravasqueira. (In the entrance photo, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves (on the right) next to Salvador de Mello, Executive President of the José de Mello Group).
With this strategy, Wine Stone clearly assumes the ambition of becoming one of the main operators in the wine sector in Portugal. «This holding fits into Ravasqueira’s business evolution, which in the last decade has had very positive results. Hence the increased attention to the wine sector in the Group’s strategic plan”, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves also confirmed at the press conference on Wine Stone’s new strategy that took place at the Bairro Alto Hotel, in Lisbon. «We are now investing in the sector even more focused. We aspire to be in the top 3 in wine production by 2030, with a turnover of more than 60 million euros. To achieve this, we must continue the dynamics of our DNA, which is double-digit annual growth. We will also invest in internationalization, which is essential for us to grow through the diversification of markets, creating relevant relationships that can culminate in a percentage of 60% of export sales in relation to total sales. And, of course, this also includes solid and considered investment in the diversification of new national regions that will help create the basis for desired growth», he concludes.
No less important will be the central axis of Wine’s strategy, sustainability; and growth vectors such as talent: «We need competent and qualified teams, talent retention is a catalyst for innovation and project development», he concludes.
Wine tourism will also play a leading role in promoting brands and having a positive impact on local communities.
José Maria da Fonseca promotes Halloween at the Winery
23/10/2023Casa Museu José Maria da Fonseca will launch for the first time a Halloween Wine Tourism program for kids and adults! On the scariest night of the year, October 31st, we will hold nightly guided tours of our wineries, wine tastings for adults and juices for children accompanied by regional cuisine.
October 31st – Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Price per adult: 27 euros – Price per child (3 to 17 years old): 13 euros – Family price (2 adults + 2 children): 70 euros.
The entry price includes a guided tour of the wine cellar, tasting of 3 wines (adults) and juices (children) paired with regional products (cheese, sausages, olive oil and bread) and a “Halloween Kit!” offer: a bottle of Moscatel de Setúbal per adult and one bag of goodies per registered child.
For more information and reservations contact us at: Casa Museu José Maria da Fonseca – enoturismo@jmfonseca.pt | +351 212 198 940
This Halloween discover the secrets of Quinta da Aveleda
20/10/2023On October 29th, Aveleda, in Penafiel, invites wine tourists to take part in a special Halloween activity for the little ones, starting at 3:30 pm.
For €12.5 per child and €17.5 per adult, visitors can participate in a pumpkin carving workshop, a children’s cinema session and a nighttime visit that will reveal the scariest and best-kept secrets of the Quinta da Aveleda gardens. . If you prefer, you can just opt for the night visit, which starts at 6:30 pm, and costs €7 per child and €12 per adult.
To book the activity at Quinta da Aveleda, please contact the Wine Tourism team via the website www.provasbyaveleda.com, email enoturismo@aveleda.pt or phone +351 255 718 200.
Aveleda was founded in 1870 by Manoel Pedro Guedes at Quinta da Aveleda, in Penafiel. Today in the hands of the fifth generation, Aveleda S.A. is the largest producer and exporter of Vinho Verde in Portugal, being present in more than 70 countries with its extensive range of products. Producer of brands such as Casal Garcia, Aveleda, Adega Velha, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta d’Aguieira, Villa Alvor and Mandriola de Lisboa. In 2020, Aveleda S.A. celebrated 150 years of a history of family and innovation. Aveleda Website – Where Dreams Are Cultivated: https://www.company.aveleda.com/pt