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Wine tourism is blossoming in southern Portugal, where you can leave the beach and visit the nearest vineyard.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable wine tourism experience in Portugal, you may be surprised to look to the Algarve. This region in the south is known for its stunning beaches, but it’s also becoming a popular destination for wine lovers. But did you know you can actually join the harvest season in the Algarve during your summer holidays? Keep reading to find out!
In the past decade, the Algarve has become a new and trendy destination for wine lovers in Europe.
Despite its popularity as a summer destination, this region is far more than its breathtaking beaches. Near the costline and hidden between the mountains, there are the most stunning wine estates.
This new wine region is going through a wave of small producers and boutique wines that conquer the heart of every visitor.
Some of the best vineyards in the Algarve are open for tours and you can join their harvest if you’re lucky!
The best part of the entire Algarve wine experience is that the harvest season happens in late August and early September – much earlier than usual in Europe and a very pleasant time to enjoy Portugal as it’s late summertime.
So you can enjoy a relaxing beach vacation and live your wine dream all at the same time!
The best way to plan your wine expedition to the Algarve is to research as best as you can which vineyards you’d like to visit and book a tour.
However, participating at harvest is not always predictable, so make sure to contact the wine producers to know when the harvest is due that year.
Winemaking deals with the strength of mother nature. We harvest the grapes when they have the ripeness levels ready, that is, at the ideal levels for the wines we want to produce.
This may change according to how the grapes developed throughout the year, if it rained a lot or a little, the grape varietal, and the wine types and styles we want.
So that’s why setting an exact date for the harvest season is dangerous. We never know what nature holds for us.
But one thing is for sure, the Algarve’s warm weather and 300 days of sun per year make our grapes mature much faster than in colder regions. That’s why usually Algarve wine producers harvest in late summer, while in Douro Valley, colder northern Portugal, they do it in mid-autumn.
Joining a manual harvest isn’t necessarily difficult. Think of it like the ultimate gardening experience, where you get to make wine with what you harvest!
You use special scissors to cut each bunch of grapes that grow in the vines, careful not to cut a finger.
That’s why so many people join the harvest at the same time because it can be tiring to harvest alone.
After the grapes are all harvested, each producer starts the vinification process to turn the crop into wine!
From Lagos to Tavira, the Algarve region has many amazing wineries and vineyards. Most aren’t open for visitors, and not all harvests are manual, but you can (and should) take your time to tour them all and discover which wines suit you best!
One of the best vineyards to visit during harvest season is Quinta dos Capinhas. Here you’ll have the chance to taste some of the best wines in Portugal and see first-hand how they are made.
Well located in the heart of the Algarve, Quinta dos Capinhas is a charming vineyard that organizes open harvest festivals.
Guided by experts, family-friendly, and with typical food and wine tasting included, this vintage is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Regardless of your previous experience harvesting grapes, the team is happy to give wine lovers the opportunity to get to know more about the viticulture magic.
Do you want to join the harvest team at Quinta dos Capinhas? Send us a message and keep an eye on your mailbox! We’ll see you at the end of summer!
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