What is my favorite wine region?
My answer is very easy: the Algarve wine region of Portugal, which is also my home and my paradise.
Covering the southernmost part of Portugal, the Algarve region has lured tourists for decades. South coast fishing villages have turned into resort towns and during the summer season beaches are full of sunbathers from Portugal and abroad. The Algarve became one of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe with its lively coastal resorts, first-rate tourist amenities, and some of Portugal’s best golf courses.
But this tourist paradise, enjoying more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, is also one of the wine regions with the greatest growth potential in Portugal.
A little history of the wine in Algarve
Since time immemorial, the vines have grown in this place, the wine has been part of people’s daily lives. It was the Phoenicians and the Greeks who allowed the first contact in Algarve with wine in the 8th century BC.
In the 19th century, when the phylloxera destroyed the vineyards in Europe, there were only two regions in Portugal that were not affected by this insect, and one of them was the coastal Algarve. The main reason is the sandy soils, which make this insect unable to destroy the roots of the plant. Thus, the Algarve started to supply wines to the other regions with high production crises.
And with the 21st century, a new era for the wines of the Algarve is emerging. A new generation of producers and winemakers emerged, with specialized knowledge to deal with the grape varieties and technology.
And a little geography lesson
Located in the south of mainland Portugal, the Algarve is separated from the Alentejo plain by an almost uninterrupted mountain range, the Monchique mountains which protect the region from the cold north winds. With its exceptional south-facing location, proximity to the ocean, sunny, Mediterranean climate, varied soil, the Algarve has an excellent terroir for growing vines,
The same bright sunshine, warm air and sea breeze which brings tourists here, are precisely what grape vines require to give prolific yields and fruit with sky-high potential alcohol. But while the humans here happily retreat to air-conditioned comfort at night, the vines are left outside to swelter in the warm night air. Although seemingly perfect, these climatic conditions serve to accelerate the vine growing season, bringing the grapes to their juicy, sweet potential before they have had a chance to develop much depth of flavor. They also trade their natural acids for sugars as they ripen, so by the end of the season, their juice is full of sugar (potential alcohol).
Algarve has been a demarcated wine region since 1980 and is divided into four DOC appellations of origin. In addition, regional wines are also produced across the region.
The wines of Algarve
The wines of the Algarve consist of mainly reds and whites, made mostly from Tinta Negra Mole and Castelão for reds, and Síria and Arinto for white varietals respectively. The new projects bet on Aragonez, Touriga Nacional and white Verdelho, together with the most prestigious international grape varieties such as Chardonnay and Syrah.
The reds are soft and low in acidity due to the warm climate, with a defined garnet color and mostly high in alcohol, the whites are also full-bodied with straw color, and best enjoyed served chilled. Both white and red wines are characterized by aromas of very ripe fruits and a velvety and warm flavor.
The perfect place for a wine holiday
As I said above, the Algarve is one of the most sought regions in the country due to its famous beaches, excellent gastronomy, and its great wines. So, what is the best way to explore it than through a wine tour? Spend a holiday in this beautiful emerging wine region, enjoy the marvelous landscape from aboard a ship, dive into the warm, calm and blue water of the ocean, discover the region’s past walking on the picturesque small streets, and mostly visit the local wineries to taste their amazing wines!
