In Portugal, you can make a toast in at least 14 different ways. Simply choose one of the country’s 14 wine regions (not to mention the dozens of sub-regions!), raise your glasses and celebrate the incredible diversity that surprises in such a small territory. Wine from the Douro, the Alentejo, the Dão? Of course, these are world-famous regions, you know them. But now it’s time to discover the secret ones.
Right next to Lisbon is stunning Sintra. This is where the westernmost vineyards in mainland Europe are located. It’s an unexpected terroir, stretching along from the Sintra mountains to the coastline. The ocean breeze, the cool nights and the clay soils produce fresh, aromatic, mineral nectars with salty notes. It would be no exaggeration to say that this is the Atlantic in a bottle!
Then, it’s time to cross the sea.
We’re now talking about the beautiful Pico island in the archipelago of the Azores. In the 15th century, people here started cultivating vines opening holes in the basalt stone mantle – it’s a volcanic island (don’t worry, the volcano is dead since 1718) –, filling it with earth from the nearby Faial island. That gave the grapes a flabbergasting mineral taste, putting Pico’s among the most sophisticated Portuguese wines.
And, from one archipelago to another, we come to Madeira. In its interior, between mountains and sea, there is also a wine secret. Madeira is undoubtedly famous for the sweet wines that bear the island’s name, which can only be compared to Port. But now it’s time to try something unique: its exceptional whites, that capture the subtropical climate. They are among the highest scoring wines in the main world critics appreciations.
With all this, here’s to the mysteries and surprises of Portuguese wine!
