Wine Experiences: From the Charming Douro Valley to the Delightful Alentejo

Posted by: Soraia Costa

Post Date 11-Aug-2020 15:19:47

Casa das Pedras

Portugal is a country of strong wine tradition, and the quality of its wines is recognized across the world, with numerous awards and distinctions won in international competitions. And to appreciate and know them, nothing like visiting the regions where they are produced, and wine is an excellent excuse to also discover the landscapes, heritage, culture and the people who live here.

The Douro and Alentejo regions are amazing wine regions that offer the best experiences for the wine and food lovers, after all, is where you will find the largest number of places dedicated to wine tourism. In these regions, you will get the change to fully know the vineyards, the wineries, and taste their fantastic and delicious wines.

Besides, wine and food tastings, picnics, walks in the middle of the vineyards, lunches with regional products and even a yoga class under a cork oak tree, are some of the amazing offers that these wine regions offers for those who are looking for special programs where the wine is celebrated. Let's disclose all the unique offers of these regions.

 

Quinta do Vallado

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Quinta do Vallado, was built in 1716 and is one of the oldest and most famous estates in the Douro Valley. Located on the banks of the Corgo river, an affluent of the Douro River, right next to its mouth, near the town of Peso da Régua, this historic estate was once owned by the unique Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira and is still in the possession of her descendants. Its main activity consists of the production of Port wines which, over time, would be marketed by the family business - Casa Ferreira. While visiting Quinta do Vallado's facilities, and its winery, you will understand the production process, ending with a tasting of its main wines. Plus, if you are feeling adventurous, you can go in its jeeps in order to explore the most breathtaking views of the estate. Moreover, there are also picnics, lunches and dinners, fishing programs, the spa, and the incredible pool.

 

Quinta Nova

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With a bi-centenary history, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo stretches over 120 hectares of land, referenced since the first Pombaline demarcation in 1756. Located in the heart of the Douro, and been owned by the Amorim family since 1999, the estate offers a range of incredible activities related to wine and food. The offers consist in wine tastings, where you will get the change to taste the incredible wines of Quinta Nova, walk in the middle of the vineyards, lunch or dinner in their fantastic restaurant, be a winemaker for a day, visit their unique museum and don't forget especially to enjoy the visit to its original winery, dated 1764, that will allow you to understand the precision of winemaking and the complexity of each harvest, forcing the alliance between traditional processes, such as the fermentation that takes place in the Wine Atelier, and the sophisticated technology of the two fully automated Lagares.

 

Quinta do Crasto

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Quinta do Crasto is an awarded estate that is dedicated to the Douro and Port wine production. Located in Gouvinhas, in the municipality of Sabrosa in Northern Portugal, and with a 135-hectare estate with 74 hectares of vineyards., this Quinta benefits from exceptional conditions for producing wines and olive oils of the highest quality. While visiting this estate, you will begin in the grape reception area, which continues through the newly renovated winemaking cellars. In addition, you will see the innovative barrel cellar, where the premium and super-premium wines make their aging process, as well it will be given a brief description of the viticulture methods. Also, it is possible to see the laboratory, the Century-Old House, have an incredible lunch or dinner with savoring the fantastic Douro valley views by the pool, or if you prefer combined with boat trips on the Douro River.

 

Quinta da Pacheca

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Quinta da Pacheca is considered one of the best-known estates in the Douro region and was also one of the first properties to bottle wine under its own label. Located in the village of Cambres, Lamego county, this incredible estate has its tasting room located in the heart of the Quinta. In this pleasant tasting room, you will find at your disposal the estate's entire range of wines, as well as some rarities as Reservas, Old Port's, homemade jams, olive oil, and other regional products from Douro Valley. Further, the estate also in its offers a vineyard spa, workshops of sculpture, tiles, winearela (painting with wine), and so much more.

 

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova

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The Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is in total harmony with Nature and a typical Alentejo estate where they dedicate to the production of high-quality wines and the breeding of native breeds of animals. Located in Albernoa, in the heart of the Alentejo, the wines of Malhadinha Nova are elegant, intensely fruity, and of great complexity. They are the reflection of enormous respect for Nature and of all the passion and dedication with which they are created.
In this Herdade the offers are endless, you can visit the property and the winery, where you will carry out tastings of various wines, tasting initiation courses, thematic tasting, barrel tasting, lunches, or picnics in the vineyard, and so much more.

 

Herdade dos Grous

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Herdade dos Grous is an amazing 730-hectare property that invites you to relax and enjoy nature. This wine estate has unique characteristics and is located in the heart of the Alentejo, plus Herdade dos Grous offers fantastic wine tastings, after all, the quality of the Herdade dos Grous wine collection is internationally recognized. Furthermore, you have other offers, like riding a horse trough the herdade and in the vineyards, visit to the winery, picnics, birdwatching, and workshops like making fresh cheese, Alentejo bread or learning about Portuguese tile painting.

 

Herdade do Freixo

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Herdade do Freixo is a great place to visit since its wine has very high-quality wines. Besides this, their beautiful and totally underground winery was built in-depth on a total of three floors below the vineyard, with a unique architecture, that was designed by Architect Frederico Valsassina. Another amazing fact is that this modern innovative winery takes into account the working environment, nature, and the impact on wine. In this herdade you will find experiences like wine tastings, in which some are accompanied by Portuguese cheeses and sausages board, two types of picnics, one on the herdade and another is more of a gourmet version, and if you prefer an exclusive and private wine tasting, there is also possible to do in this amazing herdade.


Adega Mayor

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The Adega Mayor was created by the amazing architect Siza Vieira and is located in Campo Maior. Adega Mayor offers unique experiences where the secrets of the harvest and winemaking that originate the Mayores wines are shared, the visitors are able to follow the process in its entirety, from the grape to the glass. Moreover, some fantastic experiences consist in guided tours that are joined by two other programs: Wine and Soul which includes a yoga class with wine tasting and the Vineyard Picnic, with cycling or walking between the vineyards to the place of the meal, composed of regional delicacies that are accompanied with the wines produced in this winery. 

Why book now your 2020 or 2021 tour? Because by booking all your tours with us you will have flexibility in the future, plus an acquired "Clean and Safe" seal. Through these unique times, we are available to plan, reschedule, and move your trip around your needs, as always. If your new dates may no longer work with your initial travel plan, a dedicated consultant will be available to tailor and reschedule your time in Portugal according to your needs and preferences, and to assure you that you will have the best and most memorable experiences.

 

Topics:   Douro Wine Tours Alentejo Wine Regions

Soraia Costa

Written by: Soraia Costa

Soraia has a Bachelor Degree in Communication and she is natural from Azores (the Portuguese islands) which she knows from end to end, as well, as mainland Portugal. She loves to travel and know all about the culture and food of each country. She also loves to cook new recipes, some of the most renowned chefs in the world. In her articles, she shares the knowledge of her travels about heritage, culture, wine, gastronomy, and must-see places.

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