While tour books may steer someone who wants to try wine while in Portugal to the pretty Douro Valley, many industry insiders would recommend a visit to the country’s lesser-known but well-respected Alentejo wine region.
An easy day trip from Lisbon, the rural area comprises almost a third of the country, stretching through Southern Portugal to the Spanish border. Winemaking in the area dates back thousands of years.
Since the region is so vast, it has several different terroirs, which, as one local told us, allows for “infinite” winemaking possibilities. It's best known for its red wines, notably Aragonez (Tempranillo). The white grape varietal commonly seen is Antao Vaz, somewhat similar to Chardonnay.
But Alentejo also stands out because of its rich history.
So what’s the best way to sample Portugal’s Alentejo wine region in a day?
That depends on what you’re most interested in and whether you’ve visited Alentejo before. Luckily the different tour operators offer different choices. Some of the tours concentrate on the sights and history and throw in one wine tasting. A few focus only on the wine.
We have been to Alentejo previously just to sample the wine, so this time around we decided to branch out and visit two well-regarded wineries, but also to tour the town of Évora, Alentejo’s capital and a UNESCO world heritage site, and to learn about cork. The region is the biggest producer of cork in the world.
We opted to use Yes!experiences, the same tour operator that we used to visit the Setubal wine region, since we liked the variety of the tour and knew that the two wineries included were top-notch.
As we’ve noted previously we enjoyed our first tour with Nuno to the Setubal wine region so much that we asked for him to be our guide to Alentejo two days later. And as on our trip to Setubal, Nuno unexpectedly gave us a bottle of wine at the end as a gift. He also went out of his way to not only stop off at our Lisbon hotel so we could drop the bottle off but also drove us to the restaurant where we had a dinner reservation.
Our first stop in Alentejo was at a tiny cork factory (and no one spoke English) to learn more about traditional cork harvesting and production. Cork is still important in the wine industry despite the move to more recyclable materials and is increasingly used in the production of many other items, including shoes, purses, and even buildings. Very interesting.
Adega da Cartuxa
The first winery we visited was Adega de Cartuxa, on the premises of what used to be a convent. It traces its winemaking to the 18th Century and is linked to the Cartuxa monks, who were winemakers. The reception area/tasting room itself is very modern. The winery is now part of a charitable foundation and produces several wine brands as well as olive oil.
We were slated to enjoy the wines in the vineyards but unfortunately it was too chilly so we had our guided tasting in the lounge.
We sampled:
EA Tinto Reserva , a premium red blend 😊++
Cartuxa Branco, a white blend 😊😊
Cartuxa Tinto, a red blend 😊++
Cartuxa Tinto Red Reserva, a red blend 😊++
Évora
We then traveled to Évora for a full tour of its historic district. It dates back to Roman times;
the ruins of a Roman temple are still standing.
The town, known for its distinctive white buildings, also has a 16th Century aqueduct and well-preserved medieval walls enclosing the historic city center. Some of the sights include the Cathedral and the church of St. Francis with its museum and the sort-of gruesome but fascinating Chapel of Bones, built in the 17th Century, in a style popular of the time and meant to encourage reflection about the transitory nature of life.
We also had lunch in the heart of Évora, as it happens at Enoteca Catuxa, which is affiliated with the winery and specializes in regional dishes.
Ervideira Wine Lounge
The second winery we visited was Ervideira Wine Lounge, family-owned and currently operated by the family’s fourth and fifth generations.
As we had toured this winery’s production facilities and did the blind tasting challenge on our last trip to Alentejo this time we opted to relax in the airy tasting room overlooking the vineyard and concentrate on the wines, which were accompanied by an ample spread of charcuterie, cheeses, breads, fruit, olive oil, and chicken and duck pastries.
We sampled:
Branco Aragonez, a white wine made from red Tempranillo grapes 😊+
Conde d’Ervideira Reserva white, made with Antao Vaz 😊++
Conde d’Ervideira Vinho Branco, private collection, a blend of Antao Vaz and Arinto 😊😊
Conde d’Ervideira Alfrocheiro, a rosé from the winemaker’s collection 😊++
Pinot Noir, also from the winemaker’s collection and not traditional to this region 😊😊
Flor de Sal, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, made by the “kids” in the fifth generation of the family 😊++
Tinto Reserva, a red of three blends made in Hungarian oak 😊++
Lusitano Reserva, a red of the same three blends, but made in French oak 😊😊
We hope that our info on what’s the best way to sample Portugal’s Alentejo wine region in a day helps you plan for your next trip there. Parabéns! (“Congratulations!” in Portuguese).
What other wine regions do you recommend and why? Please share! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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