Wine Country of Portugal (bottom half)

Before ox headed to Portugal, I was told by a random person that the south of Portugal is nothing but pork, potatoes and terrible wines.

Well, that individual should be captured, restrained and kept in a dark wet basement for the rest of his life.

I don’t think that’s harsh at all. If he can spur such horrible nonsense about a little corner of paradise - imagine what other weird things can come out of his mouth. He’s a fucking ticking bomb!

In his defence - Portugal’s South is not generally known for its wine & gastronomy. And that’s something we’ll try to rectify here. Because credit should be given where it’s due.

Ox's (somewhat accurate) map of southern wine country of Portugal 

It’s unfair, isn’t it?

Some regions are flat, boring and uneventful - like Ontario (where I live) or Siberia (where I am from). While others are bursting at the seams with every kind of natural beauty that the flying spaghetti monster ever came up with.

South of Portugal is extremely varied & blessed. It's got it all.

Over the length of our 2-week trip - we went from melting under the unforgiving sun & swimming in the warm azure waters to bundling up like eskimos in the face of winds, storms and what appeared to be a deluge.

We started out in a rainy & gloomy Lisbon and drove 1.5 hrs east to the sunny Tuscan-like heart of the Alentejo wine region.

Then we headed south to the Algarve wine region to check out its beaches (& wines, but mostly beaches). Ok, now I get the hype.

And as a finishing leg of our track across the Southern wine country of Portugal - we drove north along the Atlantic coast to Lisbon and the nearby Lisboa coastal wine regions. Well, hello surfing heaven!

It was a circle of life! All within a 150-km radius.

Alentejo - Portugal's oven, bread basket and wine bucket

As important as this wine region is to Portugal, we know surprisingly little about it. I heard the name mispronounced by a few wine honchos. It’s Ah-Len-Tay-ZHOOO!

Alentejo covers a third of the country of Portugal and supplies a great deal of wine. Some good and some … I’ll keep my potty mouth shut for once.

Alentejo’s plains and hills are shielded from the Atlantic by the coastal cliffs. It’s hot, dry and - dehydrating. Not ideal for your complexion. Be prepared to drink hectolitres of water. You’ll be squeezing your bladder for pee - only to realize that it’s been reabsorbed by your desperate body.

Vineyards are all equipped with water irrigation systems. Quality producers - like the ones we visited - don’t want to encourage the roots to stay too close to the ground. They irrigate very sparingly. But irrigate they must.

Alentejo reds - muscle, muscle and more muscle

Howdie there, big bold reds! Line up the body-building team!

I was shell shocked by the red wines of Alentejo. The very first bottle on the very first night took me out for the entire following day - which I spent in half-delirium.

Alentejo produces weapons of mass destruction in abundance. Mostly from Tempranillo (called Aragonez in these parts of the world) and other sun-hardy indigenous varieties.

International varieties like Syrah and Cab Sauv have made an appearance and are quickly taking over. But natural wine producers are pushing heavily for the local varieties - as they should!

Some of these smaller guys make incredible natural wines at ridiculously low prices. And, I mean - unbelievably low. Most of them are looking for a Canadian importer. So, if any of you need hookups - DM me (for winery hookups, that is).

Portalegre - rich whites & juicy reds

For the Alentejo whites (& slightly less heavier reds) you should be looking at Portalegre. A wine subregion in the foothills of Serra de São Mamede mountains in Northern Alentejo.

It is a much cooler region with delicious granitic soils that nurture beautiful mineral, fresh and rich whites primarily made from Antão Vaz.

Antão Vaz is Alentejo’s mating call for Chardonnay lovers. Whether you prefer a neutral Chardonnay or an oaked one (weird, but ok) - Antão Vaz will satisfy all of your Chard-related cravings.

Abundance of old vines in the area attracts some cool natural wine talent. Dominó - one of the most well-known natural wine producers from Portugal - mines for wine gems in Portalegre.

We tried a biodynamic white wine from Portalegre - made by the same crew that churns out Portugal’s most expensive red - Pera Manca. It was not cheap. But it was worth every damn euro.

Talha wines - return to innocence

If you want to be impressed - I mean REALLY impressed by what Alentejo has to offer, head to a tiny cute village of Vila de Frades. It's an hour drive south from Évora.

Vila de Frades - with barely 800 inhabitants - is the centre of Talha wine production.

Talha is what they call the traditional earthenware jars that are used to ferment and age some of the most unique and delicious Portuguese wines.

The process of Talha wine production is quite rudimentary and hands off. Due to its nature - the wines are unfiltered, unfined, unstabilized and often unsulphured. But the wines are far from being rustic or simple. Talk about exceptional finesse, elegance and complexity!

We visited Gerações da Talha - the most well-known producer of the region - and had the best meal in Alentejo while entertained by their lemon-eating dog.

Evora - can you get any more perfect?

In Alenetjo we stayed in a larger town of Évora and did day trips to small villages built around castles that served to protect the land from the invaders (ahem, the Spanish).

Evora is sublime - a perfect little town, full of history, culture and party-loving university students.

There was so much to see and do in and around the town that it took us three days to notice a massive stone aqueduct extending into the town centre. Wouldn’t call myself a hawk-eye, that’s for sure.

The wine country around Evora has a distinctly Tuscan feel - albeit at a fraction of what you would pay in Tuscany.

There are many small natural wine producers in the vicinity, and a plethora of restaurants that have amazing traditional food (my dad sends his regards to migas) - with great wine lists to match.

Estremoz - can you be any cuter?

Estremoz is a cute little town with a number of incredible food establishments and natural wine producers. It is Alentejo’s gastronomical mecca.

Impeccably cute Casa do Gadanha - was one of the best meals we had in Southern Portugal.

In Estremoz - you are in the very heart of Alentejo and the people are incredibly warm and generous. This was the best part of travelling in Southern Portugal - the genuinely warm welcome that we received everywhere we went. The whole region felt like one big hug.

We visited a wonderfully idyllic Outeiros Altos winery just outside of Estremoz with the most eye-catching red soils - no filter required. I’ve only seen this shade of red in Roussilon in South of France.

Algarve - beaches and... wines... I guess

Algarve has long been colonised by the British.

In the summer months, the British population divides itself evenly between the Algarve in Portugal and Spain’s Costa del Sol. There are probably more pubs on the Iberian coast than in London's East End.

To see the authentic culture of the Algarve - you gotta step outside of the comfort zone and venture about 5 minutes away from the town centres of Lagos, Albufeira and Tavira.

Inland town of Silves is a lovely alternative - it is the former capital of the Kingdom of the Algarve. And it still retains traces of that authentic Algarve charm.

But if the beaches is what you are after - well, you are in the right place. Ox prefers vineyards, but I’ve seen my share of beaches. And the Algarve beaches are the most spectacular ox has ever rested her lazy sides on.

The wines of the Algarve on the other hand … leave a lot to be desired.

Algarve wines

For the most part wines in the Algarve are produced by large cooperatives and resort establishments that are busy entertaining bachelorette parties.

I’ve worked as a tasting associate long enough to state with confidence - bachelorette parties are not conducive to wine appreciation.

And since we’re on the topic of resorts & their wines - expensive art in your backyard doesn’t distract from the poor quality of the wines. Period.

We did visit a couple of great natural wine producers. They take wines seriously and it shows. Quinta dos Sentidos and Monte da Casteleja are showing everyone how it's done.

Growing vines in the Algarve is definitely a challenge because it doesn’t get cool during the growing season, not even at night. It’s the Mediterranean, baby!

Drip irrigation and vine canopy management are crucial to slow down the ripening process - so that the grapes get a chance to develop a full bouquet of flavours.

Otherwise, they ripen way too fast for anybody’s good - except the bachelorettes. They are happy with the fruity alcohol bombs. I know - because I served and (attended) a few of those.

Lagos - almost perfect

Ox was told not to approach Albufeira - unless you want cocaine-fueled & tequila-powered nights that lead to temporary amnesia and questionable tattoos.

We stayed in Lagos - a stunning beach town on the Algarve coast - with a very lively promenade and a perfect little town centre saturated with bars, shops and restaurants.

I would not dare step foot into Lagos in the summer months. I hear the crowds are insane. But we were in Lagos in October - and it was absolutely lovely.

A leisurely 30-min walk from Lagos is Ponte-da-piedade - one of the most beautiful lagoons on the Mediterranean.

It would have been my favourite spot of the whole Portugal trip.

But our sup guide enlightened us that this is where the African slave trade had started.

And although nature had nothing to do with the atrocities humanity committed - I could never look at that beauty without cringing again.

Lisbon and Lisboa

The Atlantic coast from Lagos to Lisbon is absolutely stunning and almost untouched by large-scale tourism.

Think Sonoma coast and Bodega Bay - with similar vistas and hipster vibes.

Wines produced along this coast are completely different - fresh, invigorating and perky. Some of my faves!

The coast just north of Lisbon has its own challenges. It battles Atlantic winds, rains and otherwise generally unpredictable weather.

Colares - the beach hunk

The most famous wines in Lisboa come from a region that lies 30 minutes west of Lisbon and just 15 minutes from Sintra.

Colares is known for producing wines from ungrafted vines that appear to grow right out of the sand. In actuality - they are rooted deep in heavy clay subsoils. But the sand is deep enough to prevent phylloxera from ravaging the ungrafted roots.

And although this region is tiny - only 50 acres in total - the Colares wines are some of the most talked-about Portuguese wines in the natural wine community. And fuck, they taste good!

Reds are made from brutally tannic indigenous Ramisco and mineral whites are usually 100% Malvasia - an indigenous variety that shares the name but not the origins with the Greek Malvasia.

Sintra - a psychedelic mushroom experience

When you are in that part of the world - don’t you dare skip Sintra.

Yes, you'll have to battle through armies of insta-whores - but there is a reason for it. It’s absolutely enchanting. Even if you get stampeded. 

Built by people with wild imagination and way too much money - it really does feel like Alice in Wonderland. 

Ready? feast your eyes on these:

Here is a little tip: the most wonderful parts of Sintra - the gardens and the forests around the Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle - are completely empty and simply magical.

We discovered an almost surreal pathway that led us from the Pena Palace to Quinta da Regaleira - and we didn't meet a soul on our way.

Sintra also has a couple of cute restaurants with great natural wine lists.

Lisboa - natural wine haven

Regions just north of Lisbon are all the rage with the natural wine community. 

The region of Lisboa doesn’t have the same renommé as some of the other Portuguese wine regions. As a result, relatively low land prices attract young and ambitious natural winemakers.

Proximity to Lisbon and its thirsty hipster crowds - local or expat - is also a big plus.

We didn’t make it to northern Lisboa for two reasons:

1. Most of these producers are too small - they simply don’t have the infrastructure to welcome high-rollers like myself.
2. It was the end of October - and we opted to warm up our bones on the Algarve beaches as opposed to battling autumn winds and rains of the coast. Can’t blame us, can you?

A lot of natural wine bars and restaurants in Lisbon are sourcing their wines from Lisboa.

It is a cooler maritime region, with occasional warmer pockets. And they produce everything - from red to blue. But I advise you to drink - Orange!

Orange is the new white of Portugal

When did Portugal’s South wine country become the orange wine capital of the universe?

Lisboa orange wines are so good that even our dad gave up on beer and grappa. And that’s quite a development!

Everything goes here - terracotta, concrete, ceramic, aluminium buckets, plastic bowls - you name it.

There is a tight group of high-quality natural winemakers in Lisboa and they all push each others’ standards into the stratosphere.

These are some of the most prolific producers from north of Lisbon. Gotta know the faces of our heroes:

Filipa Pato
Joao Pato
Serradinha
Humus
Marinho Vinhos
Chinado

Lisbon - ox is in love!

I am afraid I will get stoned for saying this - but Barcelona lost its crown. These two cities have got similar vibes - but Lisbon feels smaller, friendlier and more approachable.

The natural wine bar scene in Lisbon is insane.

People know how to party and they have no funk gauge. The weirdest, craziest, bestest grape juice I ever tried - was in Lisbon’s establishments.

I will have to specifically single out Black Sheep Lisboa because this place is worth making a track across the galaxy for.

Most natural wine bars in Lisbon are in the southern part of Príncipe Real - bordering with Bairro Alto.

Residing in this area is very beneficial to a thorough and safe exploration of Lisbon’s natural wine scene. 

Ideally, you should stay close to Parque Infantil da Praça das Flores - a cute park with mature trees and a gorgeous fountain. 

This is where Black Sheep exists, and also a couple of other cool places like Magnolia Bistrot & Wine bar.

Sure, it's mostly expats - but they are some of the coolest expats you'll ever meet.

Best for last - food

Going back to that person who is now kept gagged and bound in a cold dark basement to emphasize the damage that he inflicted upon my sensitive psyche.

I was mentally prepared to suck on the fig tree leaves during our trip. No need.

I had some of the best veggie meals of my entire life. Pumpkin-filled strudel and pumpkin-spread pizza included (it was October afterall).

My carnivorous dad and sister would concur, but this is a veggie-focused site. So, I will leave out their ruptures about incredibly delicious seafood and pork.

Lisbon is only a 7 hour flight from Toronto and New York. Everyone I know is planning a trip.

And those who have already visited the Southern wine country of Portugal are looking at options of buying a cute little rustic cottage and spending the rest of their lives there. Well, at least - that’s what I am doing.

Northern Portugal - you’re next! And you better live up to the high expectations set by your voluptuous bottom half.

Southern Portugal - shake it cause you’ve got!

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