Endless golden plains flecked with cork trees is the archetypal image of Alentejo. It is in this region that you will find very large vineyards and the most extensive olive tree areas in Portugal.

Of vital importance in the Alentejo is the cork tree, from which cork is collected and used to make wine bottle corks exported worldwide.

The wines are usually full bodied, with an intense flavour, made from both national and foreign grape varieties, perfectly adjusted to the hot dry weather.  It is also where wine tourism is the most developed. Many estates have embarked in refurbishing old barns and other ruins, promoting rural and countryside tourism; some opened restaurants focusing on local delicacies and produce; while others decided to make use of dams, hills and valleys to offer outdoor activities.

It is also the region of excellence for Amphora wine, a millenary tradition of winemaking, so special for the region. 

A trip through Alentejo should take a few days, not only because the region is large, but because here nobody is in a rush, life has no schedule or timings and time goes by slower. On a hot summer day, a good cold white wine, under the shade of an olive tree, is one of the best things to do!

Cities to visit: Évora, Estremoz, Portalegre, Monsaraz, Vila de Frades.

Main White varieties: Antão Vaz and Roupeiro

Main red varieties: Alicante-Bouschet, Aragonês, Trincadeira

Antão Vaz is the most planted white grape in Alentejo. Its wines are structured, firm and full-bodied but with low acidity, so Arinto and Roupeiro make a good blend. Alicante-Bouschet represents the most used red grape in the region. It is strong in color, body and flavor. Alentejo wines are usually made from national and international grape varieties that have adapted very well to this hot and dry climate.