The absolutely indispensable guide for occasional visitors and serious travellers alike!
Everything you need to know about Real Portugal: places, maps, food, culture, history and traditions ...
656pp and 71 maps plus a 24pp full-colour introduction
Well worth GBP 14.99 RRP but you can buy it cheaper! Just click here
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Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use
Azoia, Vila Cha Apartment for 4-6, family pool
Chamosinhos, Amorim Villa for 8, private pool
Jardim da Praia, Averomar Beach house for 6
Praia, Vila Cha Cottage for 4
Rosetta, Vila Cha Beach house for 4
© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use
Augustinho, Anha Villa for 4, private pool
Barge, Venade Villa for 8, private pool
Bouca, Outeiro Villa for 4, private pool
Cristina, Afife Cottage for 2, private pool
Cruz Nova, Afife Villa for 8, private pool
Estrela, Vila Praia de Ancora Apartments for 2-4
Matos, Carvoeiro Villa for 6, private pool
Madalena, Carvoeiro Cottage for 2
Parque do Rio, Ofir Hotel with 36 rooms
Pedreira, Afife Villa for 8, private pool
Sao Joao, Santa Marta Villa for 10, private pool
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© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use
Mata, Ovar Villa for 6, private pool
Quinta da Lagoa, Mira Hotel with 130 rooms, pool and lagoon
Caminha is the first in a chain of historic fortified towns running west to east along the Portuguese bank of the river Minho, which forms the border with Spain. Once a major port, it's now a quiet spot with plenty to see and a good base for exploring the Minho hinterland.
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Barge, Venade (villa for 8, private pool)
Fabulous hideaway you would just love to own, about 1km from Venade village and 5km from historic Caminha. Set in a peaceful valley amidst lush countryside, it looks across forested hillsides rolling down to river Minho with sandy beaches at Moledo about 10 minutes' drive.
This lovely old Minho house built on 2 floors dates from around 1890 and has been lovingly renovated to provide a supremely comfortable home with many rare and precious features. Mature gardens with lawns, fruit trees, covered eating area and 12x6m pool (depth 0.8-1.8m) with steps. A relocated and restored granary provides both pool shower and WC and via ladder and trapdoor a summer bedroom with twin beds for guests to fool around in, but also treated as extra beds for 2 adults for larger parties.
]]> Inside on ground floor is huge recreation room with pool and games tables, TV, open fireplace and seating area and a bathroom. Upstairs to main living/dining room with TV, open fireplace and balcony with views over village, kitchen with gas/electric hob, oven, fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and larder. Also on this floor 1 double bedroom ensuite shower, separate shower room, two further double bedrooms, one with cot, then one twin ensuite shower and double aspect with door to false balcony over garden.
In the Cima Corgo, Quinta do Bom Retiro has 62 hectares of 25 year old vines.
This region produces various wines from the somewhat coarse and very alcoholic to light sparkling and semi-sweet. Well known labels include Tavedo, Tres Bagos, Quinta dos Bons Ares and Valle Pradinhos.
Quinta dos Bons Ares, has 20 hectares of vines at an altitude of 600 m. The white Viozhino grape dominates, but Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot and Touriga Nacional are also grown.
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© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use
Arelho, Foz do Arelho
Villa Apartment for 2-4 adults + 2 children, shared pool
Paula, Nadadouro Apartment for 2 adults. private pool.
The Ribatejo Wine Route has four different itineraries, in distinct Ribatejo categories.
Gothic Treasure, beautiful cellars in Azambuja, Cartaxo, Golegã and Santarém – the Gothic Capital.
Bulls and Horses, with producers of wine, bulls and horses. The bullfighting and the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Tejo (Natural Reserve of the Estuary of the Tagus).
By the Tagus, along the river with a largest diversity of cellars to visit in a landscape distinguished by vineyards.
Manueline Treasures – Templar Castles, cellars and cultural heritage. One of the most important regions of the birth of the Portuguese nation.
]]>In Algarve - white, red, and liqueurous castas are are authorized in the demarcated region.
Lagos is a wine producing region famous for its moscatel wine, and also for a strong alcoholic spirit. "Medronho" is perhaps one of the most famous local brews made from distilled medronho berries.
Originally created in back room stills, Medronho is now a commercial product chiefly in Silves and Monchique. The aguardente de medronho is made with berries from "The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.)" which is an evergreen shrub shown above. (the fruit sometimes called arbutus-berry, looks a little like strawberries).
The following designations for spirit drinks in the European Union are listed for the Algarve.
Aguardente do Algarve
Bagaceira do Algarve
Medronheira do Algarve
Licor Beirao is a Portuguese liqueur. Beirao is Portuguese for "from Beira", a former administrative region.
Its recipe is a secret. The producer, J. Carranca Redondo, Lda., only states it is made from a double distillation of seeds and herbs from all over the world, including Malaysia, Brazil and Thailand.
The liqueur was produced in the 19th century as a medicinal product for stomach aches by a pharmacy in Lousã. In the late 19th century alcoholic beverages were no longer qualified as medicinal but the liqueur was kept in production in a small factory owned by the son-in-law of the original producer.
Info from Wikipedia
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Touriga Nacional is a variety of red wine grape, considered by many to be Portugal's finest. Despite the notoriously low yields from its small grapes, it plays a big part in the blends used for the best ports, and is increasingly being used for table wine in the Douro and Dao.
Touriga Nacional provides structure and body to wine, with high tannins and concentrated flavours of black fruit. Jancis Robinson has compared its relationship with Touriga Francesa to the partnership between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the former providing structure, the latter filling out the bouquet.
Info from Wikipedia.
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This grape plays a role in the production of wines in two regions of Portugal, central Alentejo and Douro. In Alentejo Central it is known as Aragonez and used in red table wine blends of variable quality, while in the Douro it is known as Tinta Roriz and mainly used in blends to make port wine.
Tempranillo is a grape native to northern Spain and widely cultivated as far south as La Mancha. The two major regions that grow Tempranillo are Rioja in North Central Spain and Ribera del Duero, which lies a little further to the south. Substantial quantities are also grown in the Penedès, Navarra and Valdepeñas regions.
Info from Wikipedia
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Colares sand wine - Info from Wikipedia
Colares is type of wine produced in sandy soils outside Lisbon between the foothills of Sintra and Roca Cape. Because of Lisbon's urban sprawl, the lands available for vineyards became so small, that the demands has always been higher than the production, making it one of the most expensive Portuguese wines. The Colares sand wine tastes has a soft blend of nuts and red fruits. Preferred temperature for consumption is 18 degrees Celsius for red wines and 12 for white wines.
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Arelho, Foz do Arelho
Apartment for 2-4 adults + 2 children, shared pool
Estremadura has a long history in national viticulture. This region’s vine area is made up of traditional grape varieties and the most famous international ones. Estremadura’s diversity of relief and microclimates enables the region to produce a great variety of wines.
Formerly known as West, Estremadura is located north west of Lisbon, occupying an area of about 40 km. The climate is mild due to Atlantic influence. Summers are fresh and winters soft, though colder in areas farther from the sea.
Although the region has good potential for the production of quality wines, about fifteen years ago it was essentially known for producing large quantities of low quality wine. Since then, the vines and wineries have been restructured. One of the restructuring steps involved planting new grape varieties, chosen according to quality, not quantity. Today, Estremadura’s wines are known for their good quality/price ratio
The region focused on the growing of the noblest Portuguese and foreign grape varieties. In 1993, a new type of wine was created: the Vinho Regional da Estremadura (free translation: Estremadura Regional Wine). This new type of wine encouraged producers to study the potential of the different grape varieties and, currently, most wines produced in Estremadura are regional (the law for DOC wines is very restrictive on the use of grape varieties).
Estremadura is made up of nine Denominations of Origin: Colares, Carcavelos and Bucelas (in the south, near Lisbon), Alenquer, Arruda, Torres Vedras, Lourinha and Obidos (in the centre of the region) and Encostas d’Aire (in the north, close to the Beiras region).
Extract from Infovini Copyright © 2008 Infovini
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Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions (often abbreviated to QWpsr or simply "quality wines") is an EU-sponsored classification regulating and defining the status of "quality wines" according to production method, management and geographical location.
This article continues below with DOC / Appellation / PDO....
]]>List of DOCs
* Vinho Verde
* Porto e Douro
* Vinho do Douro
* Vinho do Dão
* Vinho da Bairrada
* Bucelas
* Colares
* Carcavelos
* Setúbal
* Vinho do Alentejo
* Lagoa
* Lagos
* Portimão
* Tavira
* Madeira
In addition to the top level DOC designation, there are two secondary tiers-Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR) and Vinho Regional. IPRs are similar to DOC "in training" and indicate regions that have established their own regulating bodies but has not yet established an internationally recognizable identity for their wines.
The appellation system of the Douro region was created nearly two hundred years before that of France, in order to protect its superior wines from inferior ones.
The quality and great variety of wines in Portugal are due to noble castas, microclimates, soils and proper technology.
Officional designations:
* Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) or VQPRD - Vinho de Qualidade Produzido em Região Determinada
o These are the most protected wine and indicates a specific vineyard, such as Port Wine, Vinhos Verdes, and Alentejo Wines. These wines are labeled D.O.C. (Denominação de Origem Controlada) which secures a superior quality.
* Wines that have more regulations placed upon them but are not in a DOC region fall under the category of Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada (IPR, Indication of Regulated Provenance)
* Regional Wine - Vinho Regional Carries with it a specific region within Portugal.
* Table Wines - Vinho de Mesa carries with it only the producer and the designation that it's from Portugal.
Wikipedia article - The_Appellation_System
An appellation is a geographical-based term used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. The rules that govern appellations are dependent on the country in which the wine was produced.
Wikipedia article - Appellation.
PDO Logo
Protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) are geographical indications (GIs) defined in European Union Law to protect the names of regional foods.
These laws protect the names of wines, cheeses, hams, sausages, olives, beers, and even regional breads, fruits, and vegetables.
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Bairrada wine, is produced in the Região Demarcada da Bairrada. The name "Bairrada" is from "barros" (clay) due to the clay soils of the region. Although the region was classified in 1979, it is an ancient vineyard region. The vines exposure to the sun, favours the further maturity of the grapes. The Baga casta is intensely used in the wines of the region.
Photos from Caves Messias
Info from Wikipedia:
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Located in southern Portugal, Alentejo is ideal for the production of high quality wines. The grapes are planted in vast vineyards extending over rolling plains under the scorching sun which shines on the grapes and ripens them.
Alentejo produces white wines with an intense original nose which are fruity. The red wines are slightly acidic with a bouquet of very ripe fruits yet soft and balanced on the palate.
Alentejo Wines are, with Vinho Verde, the preferred wine for the Portuguese consumer representing 47% of the quality wine market' yet with only 12% of the national wine production.
]]>Moscatel wines - Muscat (grapes)
Moscatel is a liqueurous wine produced in the Setubal Peninsula. Since 1870, most of the Setúbal Moscatels have been grown with special care. And the most known is "Moscatel Roxo", a wine from that casta which is aged 20 years in the cellars.
There is another variety of Moscatel wine, the "Moscatel de Favaios", in the Regiao Demarcada do Douro, it is made from the "Galego" (white) casta.
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The method of vinification is similar to that employed in other parts of Portugal, but the method employed for hastening the maturation of the wine is peculiar and characteristic.
This consists of subjecting the wine to a high temperature for a period of some months in buildings called estufas specially designed for this purpose. This process is meant to duplicate the effect of a long sea voyage of the aging barrels through tropical climates. Madeira was originally unfortified, but the addition of grape brandy increased its ability to survive long voyages.
The temperature varies from 35 to 60 C (100 to 140 F), according to the quality of the wine, the lower temperature being used for the better wines. The estufas are built of stone and are divided into compartments heated by means of hot air obtained from a system of stoves and flues.
Much of the characteristic flavor of Madeira is due to this practice, which hastens the mellowing of the wine and also tends to check secondary fermentation in as much as it is, in effect, a mild kind of pasteurization. Furthermore, the wine is deliberately exposed to air, causing it to oxidize. The resulting wine has a color similar to a tawny port. Wine tasters sometimes describe an oxidized wine as being maderized.
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Vinho do Dao (or Dao wine) is a Portuguese wine from the Regiao Demarcada do Dao in Central Portugal. It is one of the oldest established wine regions in Portugal. Dao wine is produced in a mountainous region with a temperate climate, in the area of the Rio Mondego and Dao rivers in the north central region of Portugal. The region became a Denominacao de Origem Controlada (DOC) appellation in 1990. The Dao region is the origin of the Touriga Nacional vine that is the principle component of Port wine.
Information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North Portugal Villas
Fernao Pires (aka. Maria Gomes)
This Portuguese native is that country’s most planted grape, especially in the Ribatejo area. In Bairrada, Fernao Pires is known as Maria Gomes, and is the most familiar white grape variety. The best wines made from the grape exhibit excellent fruit character and strong aromatics, sometimes suggestive of pepper. Fernao Pires can be quite versatile, often used to produce flavorful dry, sweet and sparkling wines. The grape is also widely grown in South Africa.
Information from Appellation America Inc.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Douro wine (Vinho do Douro), from the same region of port wines, originally were bitter wines, but the relation between Portugal and England led the English to enhance this wine with a kind of Portuguese brandy known as aguardente for it to support a voyage from Portugal to England. And since then, the wine only got better, and it appears by the first time in the registries of exports in 1679. Today's Douro wines are favourite table wines with some traits that are reminiscent of a port wine.
The "Barca Velha" is a widely notable wine, which is not only seen as, perhaps, the best Portuguese wine, but also as one of the best wines of the world.
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The port wine vines need to grow on soil that is rich in schist and require a specific climate. Made using a unique vinification method, this wine is very special and known worldwide. The red varieties are the most common. The wine is produced in the beautiful landscape of the Douro Valley in Alto Douro region, a region that is now classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, and the wine is exported from the city of Porto, thus acquiring the name porto (or "port" in English-speaking countries). There are several varieties of port wine: some of the most popular are the tawny, white, ruby, and Late Bottled Vintage (L.B.V.).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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Portuguese wine is part of the ancient traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans.
It started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after a treaty in 1703.
Portugal has the oldest appellation system in the world, the Douro Valley. This region and Vinho Verde region, in the Northwest produces some of the world's finest, unique and highest value-added wines. Alentejo and Dão regions produces fruitful flavour wines, suitable for a casual wine drinker.
Portugal has two wine producing regions protected by UNESCO as World Heritage: the Douro Valley Wine Region (Douro Vinhateiro) and Pico Island Wine Region (Ilha do Pico Vinhateira).
Portugal has a large variety of native breeds (about 500), producing a very wide variety of different wines with distinctive personality. The Oxford Companion to Wine describes the country as having "a treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties." With the quality and uniqueness of its wines, the country is a sizable and growing player in wine production, being in the top 10, with 4% of the world market (2003). The country is considered a traditional wine grower with 8% of its continental land dedicated to vineyards. Only the highest mountain peaks are unable to support viticulture. Portugal produces some of the world's best wines, as reflected in its success in international competitions.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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Vinho Verde is produced from grapes which do not reach great doses of sugar. Therefore, Vinho Verde does not require an aging process.
These wines are produced in the Northwest of Portugal in the historical regions of Minho and Douro Litoral. The region produces wines from very Ancient times; only in 1908 the region was demarcated. Vinho Verde is influenced by the nearby ocean and high humidity, typical aspects of the region that can be observed in the wine's refreshing taste. Thus, Vinho Verde always requires low temperatures before serving. It is known for having diuretic and digestible properties. And, are a category of wines that are unique and typical of Portugal. These are very light wines and naturally gassy.
Vinho Verde wines are now largely exported, and are the most exported Portuguese wines after the Port Wine. The most popular variety in Portugal and abroad are the white wines, but there are also red and more rarely rosé wines.
A notable variety of Vinho Verde is Vinho Alvarinho which is a special variety of white Vinho Verde, the production of Alvarinho is restricted by EU law to a small sub-region of Monção, in the northern part of the Minho region in Portugal. It has more alcohol (11.5 to 13%) than the other varieties (8 to 11.5%).
Wikipedia article: Vinho Verde
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