Torre de Palma promotes wine tourism and wines in Lisbon

Next Wednesday, July 13, at 7:00 pm, the Wel Well Center, in Lisbon, welcomes wines from Adega Torre de Palma, for a memorable wine dinner. The menu by chef Lucas Alves, from the Wel Well Center, will be made especially for the event, promising excellence and an unparalleled balance of flavors resulting from the symbiosis between Alentejo and Brazilian inspiration. Torre de Palma will present a special selection of its wines led by sommelier Luiza Cazarin and winemaker Duarte de Deus, in a dinner that promises to be a journey of unforgettable flavors and knowledge to Alentejo lands.

«Influenced by the microclimate of Serra de São Mamede and produced in a practically artisanal way, the new references result in a perfect combination for the creation of unique wines, in total harmony with nature», explains winemaker Duarte de Deus. «The Torre de Palma vineyard follows an integrated production plan, favoring the use of natural regulation mechanisms, and is installed on land that is very balanced, with neutral pH and clay-loam texture», he adds.

The latest novelties to be tested are the new harvest Torre de Palma Rosé 2021, which has a fruity aroma, with notes of wild strawberry and fresh cherry, and Torre de Palma Arinto Alvarinho 2021, the latest novelty from this producer, which presents itself as a crystalline wine with an intense tone for these varieties and a complex and elegant aroma, with notes of lime and pineapple. Two perfect suggestions to cool off in the hottest moments ahead.

This dinner will be served in the heart of Lisbon, close to one of the most urban and neighborhood squares in the city – Praça das Flores, on Rua Marcos Portugal. Price: 35 euros per person

To book, just send an email to: Luiza Cazarin – Lcazarin@torredepalma.com or call 913460511

Graham’s Caves join the Open House Porto itinerary

Open House Porto is back next weekend, July 2nd and 3rd, and Graham’s Caves – owned by Symington Family Estates – are one of the places that can be visited for free. The initiative, which this year has as its theme ‘House’ and aims to (re)visit the House as a home and ultimate space of intimacy, includes 74 spaces in the municipalities of Porto, Matosinhos, Vila Nova de Gaia and Maia.

For Open House Porto participants who want to learn more about the historic warehouse, its architecture and the principles followed in its rehabilitation, Graham’s Caves have two options for visits: accompanied and commented. The first, carried out in groups and guided by the initiative’s team of volunteers, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am to 2 pm. The commented visits will count with the presence of the architect Luís Loureiro (on Saturday, at 15:00), who was responsible, in 2013, for the rehabilitation project of the aging warehouse of the Graham’s Cellars, and of the architect Vítor Pinho (on the Sunday, at 15:00), who is part of Symington’s wealth management technical team.

Located on Rua do Agro, in Vila Nova de Gaia, Graham’s Cellars date back to 1890. Currently, the lodge of the renowned Port wine house stores more than 3,200 casks of Port Wine, as well as more than the equivalent of 2,000 barrels. in oak vats and vats, also featuring extensive Vintage Port wine cellars. As they are located in a dominant point of the historic area of Vila Nova de Gaia, a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, the Graham’s Wine Tourism Center allows those who visit them to have a privileged view of the city of Porto.

Miguel Leal and ML-Private Tours nominated for the wine tourism guide of the year award by the Wine travel Awards

The Wine Travel Awards (WTA) is a recognized digital platform that awards annual awards, including in the field of Wine Tourism. This is a way to attract attention, publicize people, regions, wines and local products from all over the world.
Miguel Leal, from ML-Private Tours is one of the nominees for this award «This nomination is a recognition of the work developed by ML-Private Tours in Portuguese wine tourism. Portugal is increasingly sought after for the quality of its wines and gastronomy, it is essential to continue to develop quality services without ever forgetting our roots, we have unique wines and unique landscapes such as the douro valley and we only have to be proud of what is ours », says Miguel Leal, founder and administrator of ML-Private Tours.

Miguel Leal’s connection to the world of wine dates back to his childhood, in a small family wine estate managed by his grandfather and father in the north of Portugal, in the Vinho Verde region, where he helped with the harvest, bottled and labeled wines.

After graduating from the University of Porto with a degree in international relations, Miguel started his career working in family businesses for many years. In 2011, the appeal of wine went in another direction, through his own company, ML-Private Tours.

Booking tours: reservas@ml-privatetours.com / https://www.ml-privatetours.com/
Telm: +351 93 617 44 44

Wine Tourism and Art in Alentejo

ALVEX is the result of the acronym of AL(entejo) V(irtual) EX(tremadura), and the result of the collaboration between the Center for Art and Culture of the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation (FEA) and the MEIAC (Museu Extremeño e Ibero-Americano). of art
Contemporary) in dialogue with the artist Maite Cajaraville. An exhibition that will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, from the 19th of February, at the Centro de Arte e Cultura, in Évora. Those who travel to Évora also have a good opportunity to visit the wine tourism at Adega Cartuxa, belonging to the FEA, before or after visiting the exhibition.

Curated by Natalia Piñuel Martín and co-curated by José Alberto Ferreira, the artistic project ALVEX is an extension of VEXTRE, created by the Extremaduran artist for exhibition at MEIAC in 2021. It is originally presented as a digitally designed sculpture where it is possible to evaluate parameters economic, demographic, urban, modality, employment, among others, in the Spanish region of Extremadura. The Portuguese version adds another sculpture dedicated to the Alentejo, also designed and produced by Maite Cajaraville, where the collection and detailed analysis of the socio-economic data of the Alentejo is translated into an artistic language that invites reflection on the constraints of the present and the possibilities future of a region.

Thus, the 3D physical part and the virtual expanded reality part of ALVEX will be displayed at the same time, putting viewers in front of two silent realities divided by a border. An augmented reality (QR) device will add readability spheres to each region, access to complementary information and the possibility of including visitors in the exhibition.

On the 16th, 17th and 18th of February, students and teachers will be able to follow the 3D printing of the piece, in ceramic, and dialogue with the artist and the other creative members of the team about the entire design and materialization process. Participation is free, and appointments can be made via email servicoeducativo@fea.pt or telephone contact 266 748 350.
«It is necessary to arouse curiosity for technological experimentation in society and in artists, facilitating a technological, scientific and creative transfer to society as a whole, and to promote a change of mentality that motivates critical thinking about the rural environment and that awakens the possibilities of survival and pride in belonging”, says Maite Cajaraville, an artist from Extremadura.

For the curator Natalia Piñuel Martín, «talking about the work of Maite Cajaraville means claiming one of the pioneering artists of digital art in Spain. His trajectory is a continuous work in progress, integrating non-fiction narratives in different projects that work around media art. A fundamental characteristic throughout his career is the ability to reverse imaginaries and social conditioning through interaction with the public, using current devices of our reality from the contexts of contemporary art. With VEXTRE and ALVEX, it takes steps further, building sculptures of the future and creating an expanded Extremadura and Alentejo that reflect the interests and concerns of the present in these territories». The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday, between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm, with free admission to the Art and Culture Center in Évora. For additional information, consult the FEA website https://www.fea.pt/home

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at PicoWines

Cooperativa Vitivinícola do Pico-Picowines suggests the Terras de Lava Rosé 2020 wine to celebrate love at the most romantic time of the year. Terras de Lava Rosé 2020, a wine made from pressed Syrah and Merlot grapes, has a light salmon hue and an elegant aroma that combines notes of cherries, currants and fresh strawberries with a maritime background.
This wine is the perfect companion for light dishes such as fish, seafood or sushi or as an aperitif. Terras de Lava Rosé 2020 wine is available at a recommended RRP of €10.90 in the various wine cellars in the country.

Another good idea is to take your loved one to visit the Cooperativa da Ilha do Pico, where wine tourism activities are gaining more and more strength. See activities at: https://www.picowines.com/enoturismo/

The Pico Island Winery Cooperative (CVIP) was founded in 1949.
21 founders. After a period of preparation and organization, followed by the construction of the headquarters, the Adega Cooperativa starts its production in 1961 with the noble varieties, Verdelho, Arinto and Terrantez do Pico. The first CVIP wine, named “Pico”, was launched on the market in 1965. There were some obstacles to the production of Pico wines, and in a context of wanting to recover a past that was already out of splendor and glory, the Pico cooperative emerged. in Madalena and, in 1972, it became obvious that wine would also have to be produced from red grapes and American grape varieties, for reasons of profitability, new wines emerged that also marked the history of Pico. The entry of winemaker Bernardo Cabral, in 2017, marks a new stage in the life of these wines, as the first single varietals are introduced, taking over the volcanic terroir of Pico wines. Currently, Cooperativa do Pico is led by Losménio Goulart, who has been concerned with promoting the wine production process, making it increasingly a reference of high quality.

Torre de Palma celebrates Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to relax in Alentejo with your partner. To celebrate this date, Torre de Palma suggests the following wine tourism program: Welcome drink in the Torre de Palma wine tower at sunset (subject to weather conditions); 1 bottle of Torre de Palma wine in the room with fruit and chocolate; Dinner for two at PALMA Restaurant with a Special Valentine’s Day Menu designed by Chef Miguel Laffan (available from the 11th to the 14th for lunch and dinner, and on other days menu on request; 2 Nights accommodation with breakfast included; Free access to the SPA (indoor pool, jacuzzi and Turkish bath) Guided tour of the Torre de Palma winery and bicycles for tours around the property The Valentine’s Special Program costs from €510 in a double room.

Anyone who wants can customize their program with different activities to choose from (massages, horseback riding, wine tasting, among others). Participants in this program can enjoy these activities with a 15% discount.

Conditions: On weekend nights (Friday and Saturday) the value of €70 is added to the program according to the selected room type. Program valid from the 11th to the 20th of February 2022. You can cancel your reservation up to 7 days before the check-in date, free of charge.

To purchase this program, it is necessary to make a prepayment at the time of booking. It cannot be combined with other promotions and is only valid for direct reservations with the Hotel. For more information and reservations, contact Torre de Palma by emailreservas@torredepalma.com, telephone +351 245 038 890 or WhatsApp +351 936 004 264.

Adega José de Sousa presents a new red

The red Porco Bravo Reserva is the new wine launched by Adega José de sousa, in Reguengos de Monsaraz. Inspired by the character of this robust animal and with a very refined palate, this wine is the result of a blend of typical Alentejo red grape varieties and is available exclusively at Pingo Doce supermarkets. «The Porco Bravo wine represents the great charisma and symbolism of bravery and courage of these animals since ancient times. This association with the attributes of the animal, so characteristic of our Alentejo, aims to reflect the expression of our territory and the unique structure, balance and richness present in this wine», says the administrator of José Maria da Fonseca with the Commercial and Marketing department, Antonio Maria Soares Franco. Coming from granitic soils and the result of a blend of Aragonês, Trincadeira, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet, this red fermented in stainless steel vats, followed by a 6-month aging in new French and American oak wood.

With a ruby color, Porco Branco Reserva has aromas of dried figs, chocolate and cigar tobacco, spices and a ripe fruit typical of the region. The palate reveals cigar tobacco notes with fine and velvety tannins, but with good structure and a very balanced acidity. Its aftertaste is long, rich and elegant. Recommended P.V.P. with VAT: €9.99
Remember that Adega José de Sousa has existed since 1878 and was acquired by José Maria da Fonseca in 1986, in order to fulfill the old dream of producing wine in Alentejo, in a property full of prestige and history. Located in Reguengos de Monsaraz, it is here that a tradition started by the Romans over 2000 years ago is kept alive. Adega José de Sousa has 114 clay amphorae, where an ancient and very rare fermentation method is carried out. In addition to the traditional cellar, below ground level, with amphoras and two wine presses for treading, it also has a modern cellar, with 44 stainless steel vats and all the necessary technology for the vinification of reds and whites. At Adega José de Sousa, some ancestral winemaking techniques are still used, the most emblematic of which is the use of mulch in the fermentation of the grapes. Adega José de Sousa also has a wine tourism unit, which is open for guided tours, tastings of wines, wines and snacks and also has the possibility of receiving groups for lunch.

Soalheiro is Vegan certified

After being the first wine of the brand to adopt the sustainable bottle, Soalheiro Alvarinho Clássico is also the first in its portfolio to incorporate vegan certification.
2021 was a year of uncertainty in the vineyard, with challenges that forced winegrowers to take special care and adapted to the conditions of each moment of a year, which for viticulture was always unpredictable. Even so, the more than 150 families of local producers who work side by side with Soalheiro, despite the irregular conditions to which they were subjected, were based on a deep knowledge of the place and the time that passes from generation to generation to, this year difficult, to obtain grapes with unique characteristics such as the year in which they were born, with the usual quality, giving rise to a fresher and ideal harvest to work in the cellar, a characteristic increasingly valued by Soalheiro: precision.

After the debut of the eco-efficient bottle last year, which has since expanded to almost all other references, this year it is the first wine of the brand to receive vegan certification. Despite having been recognized for many years, this recognition stimulates the organization of internal procedures, reflecting them externally and, at the same time, ensuring consumer confidence. Reinforcing its positioning as a more inclusive wine, fully adapted to the demands of the most diverse consumer profiles, this recognition is added to the certifications already held by the brand, namely in research and development, environmental, among others.

For Luís Cerdeira, manager and winemaker at Soalheiro, «sustainability and conservation of the essence of production processes is part of our nature, the result of our respect for the Territory and for what it offers us. We have already embraced the organic certification of our vineyards, which has also allowed us to increase knowledge and biodiversity on the plots. Environmental certification is a reflection of the development of a collective conscience by our entire team. And the vegan certification now attests to what we have been accomplishing for several years, and which reinforces Soalheiro’s character as a brand that bets on knowledge to promote innovation and inclusion». In conclusion, he also states: «it is essential to continue working on the differentiating profile of Alvarinho and, at Soalheiro, we have tried to do so with a focus on consistency and innovation, trying to translate into each wine the respect for the work of the winegrowers and for the territory, recognizing in the certifications an engine of continuous improvement in the company and of transparency for the consumer».

Malhadinha’s first sparkling wine launched

The first sparkling wine from Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, the Bruto Natural Rosé, has just been launched, a project that the Soares family had already coveted for several years at the time when the Baga vines were planted on the property, a variety used to balance other wines. thanks to its freshness and acidity.

The new Bruto Natural Rosé is a sparkling wine from a single year, 2016, with Baga, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Miúda varieties. Developed using the traditional method common to the best sparkling wines and champagnes in the world, this Bruto Natural Rosé bottle aged for five years, having been degorged in 2021 in only half of the bottles available. This sparkling wine has a dry profile, as its name implies, and the ideal and preferred profile of great connoisseurs.

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is a 23-year-old project in the Alentejo, in Albernoa, Beja. The first vineyard was planted in 2000 and, since then, the Herdade has established itself in the production of wine, having started the transition to an organic regime in 2016, with official certification awarded in 2020. Malhadinha Nova also started the hotel project 14 years ago. years, with a small house with 10 suites, but in 2020 it increased the tourism offer to six houses, with a total of 30 rooms, positioning itself on a level of luxury and exclusivity.

Malhadinha Nova is also committed to sustainability and self-sufficiency, with complete independence in the production of grapes and olives. The livestock, horticultural and stud farming areas are also developed and in transition to a fully self-sufficient future. Another novelty is the sale of ground flour through the new oat, wheat, dewlap and rye plantations.

The image, the bottle and the label represent a binomial of the Herdade: on the one hand, the brand already recognized by consumers, the image of the “spotted cow” that so characterizes the project, is present in the seal next to the neck; on the other, the golden concentric rays, which illustrate the sundial, the passage of time, the elements of nature and the seasons.

JMF with a special program for Valentine’s Day

To celebrate the most romantic month of the year, the Wine Tourism spaces of José Maria da Fonseca – Casa Museu José Maria da Fonseca, located in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, and Adega José de Sousa, located in Reguengos de Monsaraz – created a special program . Until the 28th of February, all couples can enjoy a guided tour, followed by a special wine tasting paired with chocolates and the offer of a bottle of wine.

The program is valid for a minimum of 2 people and includes a guided tour, tasting of 2 wines paired with artisanal chocolates and an offer of a bottle of red wine. Subject to availability and with advance reservation. Price per couple: 35€* (VAT included). JMF booking in Azeitão. Reservations: enoturismo@jmfonseca.pt | +351 212 198 940 Booking visits to the José de Sousa Winery: Reservations: josedesousa@jmfonseca.pt | +351 918 269 569