Lisbon Wine Region
For a long time, the wines around Lisbon were known mostly for scale—large estates, large volumes, wines made to be dependable rather than distinctive. While other Portuguese regions carried reputation and expectation, Lisbon stayed quietly in the background.
That turned out to be a gift. As estates passed from one generation to the next, many remained in the same families that had worked the land for decades, and without pressure to impress anyone, a new generation began to experiment.
Chemical inputs were reduced or abandoned. Old vines were valued for character rather than efficiency, and intervention in the cellar was dialed back to let the wines reflect place and season more clearly.
Today, Lisbon has become one of Portugal's most exciting regions for natural and low-intervention wine—not because it followed trends, but because it had the freedom to find its own way. On this tour, we explore that transformation, visiting estates where curiosity now leads the conversation and spending time with producers redefining what Lisbon wine can be.
Setúbal Wine Region
Setúbal sits where river, sea, and history converge. Long celebrated for its iconic Moscatel de Setúbal, the region produces wines of remarkable depth and balance — rich yet lifted, shaped by sun, Atlantic air, and time.
Alongside its classical expressions, Setúbal is also home to some of Portugal’s most fearless natural winemakers. Working with old vines, native varieties, and minimal intervention, these producers bring energy and edge to the region while staying grounded in place and tradition.
Food here is just as expressive. Queijo de Azeitão offers one of Portugal’s most distinctive cheese experiences, while oysters from the Sado River, fried cuttlefish, and regional sweets reflect a cuisine shaped by salt, patience, and craft. Even ancient traditions endure — including the revival of Garum, made today in stone vessels inspired by Roman methods.
This tour explores Setúbal through contrast and connection — historic wines and rebellious ones, simple food and deep flavor, ancient practices and living creativity. For curious travelers who value authenticity over polish, Setúbal delivers something unforgettable.
Tejo Wine Region
Shaped by Portugal’s longest river, the Tejo wine region has always been rooted in agriculture, food, and continuity. For generations, its wines were made to accompany daily life — generous, dependable, and closely tied to the table rather than reputation.
Today, a new generation of growers is quietly refining that legacy. Old vines along riverbanks and sandy soils are being reexamined, native varieties given new attention, and farming practices increasingly organic and thoughtful. The wines remain grounded and expressive, shaped by warm days, cooling river influence, and a deep respect for place.
Tejo’s culture is inseparable from its cuisine. Riverside eel dishes, rice grown in the surrounding plains, and the iconic Sopa da Pedra of Almeirim speak to a tradition of slow, communal eating. In Santarém, the region’s historic heart, Gothic churches and layered architecture overlook the river that has sustained this landscape for centuries.
This tour is about understanding Tejo as it is lived — through wine at the table, history underfoot, and a pace that rewards attention. For curious travelers who value authenticity over polish, Tejo offers a deeply human and quietly memorable experience.
Alentejo Wine Journeys
Alentejo asks for time.
Unlike the regions surrounding Lisbon, wine journeys here unfold over wide landscapes, long distances, and unhurried meals. For that reason, Alentejo tours require at least one overnight stay in the region. Guests are welcome to arrange accommodations independently, or to share a preferred budget and style — from simple rural stays to refined country hotels — which I’m happy to arrange on their behalf.
Depending on the length and structure of the tour, I may remain in the region to provide continuous hosting, or return to Lisbon between days. Every journey is shaped around your interests, pace, and sense of adventure.
Within Alentejo, I offer three distinct routes — each revealing a different expression of land, wine, and history.
Portalegre
In the far north of Alentejo, near the Spanish border, the subregion of Portalegre feels worlds away from the sunbaked plains the region is known for. Here, vineyards climb into mountainous terrain, benefiting from altitude, forest influence, and cooler nights.
This is home to some of Portugal’s oldest vineyards — mixed plantings, gnarly trunks, and soils that reward patience rather than volume. Long overlooked, Portalegre has become a quiet reference point for thoughtful, low-intervention winemaking in Alentejo.
On this route, we explore natural producers working with old vines, native varieties, and minimal manipulation, creating wines of surprising freshness, tension, and depth. It’s a journey into Alentejo’s most restrained and soulful side — rugged landscapes, serious wines, and a sense of discovery that still feels intact.
Évora and Surroundings
The city of Évora has been a crossroads for centuries — Roman, medieval, religious, and agricultural layers all visible within its walls. As the historic capital of Alentejo, Évora offers essential context for understanding the region as a whole.
Beyond the city, a growing number of natural and low-intervention producers are quietly redefining what Alentejo wine can be. Working within easy reach of Évora, these winemakers balance respect for tradition with a lighter touch — organic farming, earlier harvests, and a focus on drinkability and expression over power.
This route blends history and contemporary creativity: time spent walking Évora’s streets and monuments, paired with visits to producers who are shaping a more transparent, precise future for Alentejo wine — all without losing the region’s generosity or warmth.
Talha Wine Route
In southern Alentejo, near the town of Vidigueira, one of Europe’s oldest living wine traditions continues largely unchanged. Here, wine is still made in large clay amphorae known as Talha wine — a practice introduced by the Romans over 2,000 years ago.
Talha wines ferment and age with skins, stems, and seeds inside these vessels, following rhythms dictated by tradition rather than modern technology. The result is wine that feels raw, alive, and deeply connected to place — not polished, but profoundly expressive.
This route is as much cultural as it is vinous. We visit small producers, communal cellars, and villages where talha wine is still part of everyday life. Meals are simple and local, designed to accompany these distinctive wines rather than compete with them. It’s one of the most immersive wine experiences Portugal has to offer — and one that resists replication elsewhere.
Choosing Your Alentejo Journey
Alentejo rewards curiosity, openness, and time. Whether you’re drawn to old vines in the mountains, historic cities and emerging voices, or ancient amphora traditions still alive today, these journeys are designed to go deeper than a tasting room visit.
This is Alentejo experienced slowly — through landscape, conversation, food, and wine — shaped around how you want to travel.
