Algarve Wine Session

Have you ever wanted to book a wine tasting at one of our local wineries but felt overwhelmed by all the choices across the Algarve?

Let me offer you a solution. At the third edition of the Algarve Wine Session you can be in the same room with more than half of the Algarve’s wine producers and taste all their wines!

Taking place on Monday, 12 October, the event is back at the Hilton Vilamoura in Loulé from 11.30 am to 8.00 pm. Join me for a full day dedicated solely to Algarve wines.

Interactive and educational, the Algarve Wine Session organised by the Comissão Vitivinícola do Algarve (the Algarve Wine Commission) is an annual event celebrating our region’s wine culture. It’s also your chance to ask all those pesky questions. How was this wine made? Why didn’t they age your favourite red in oak like they did the previous vintage? The winemakers, their assistants and the owners will all be there to answer. The tasting is for you and me to learn more, and for those of you well-versed in the region’s wines, to taste new bottlings and vintages from your favourite producers.

Recently I spoke with Sara Silva, president of the CVA, for an inspiring 90-minute discussion about Algarve wine and the region’s wine history. Sara is the driving force and public face of both the commission and the Algarve Wine Session. Originally from Porto, she managed the CVA’s Quality Management System before being elected president aged just 34 in April 2019. Alongside overseeing certification and compliance for 60 registered producers, she launched the Vinhos de Algarve branding campaign and the Rota dos Vinhos.

She is also working to expand the region’s wine recognition nationally and internationally, fighting for greater visibility in supermarkets, restaurants and wine shops. With her partners – Algarve Tourism and the municipalities of Loulé and Lagoa – she has created platforms that connect producers with those who cherish the Algarve’s authentic flavours. Stay tuned for what’s coming next, or just buy a ticket and see for yourself!

The Day at a Glance

*All masterclasses will be in Portuguese.

From the Algarve to the table: how to sell Algarve wines better and increase their value and presence in the market? *Free lecture (by registration only), 11 am–12 pm. A moderated panel from production, distribution, the floor (sommeliers /restaurants) and retail on how to increase the value and presence of Algarve wines. Led by Luis Gradíssimo.

Meet the producers and taste wine!!

11.30 am–8.00 pm

Alma do Algarve: wines & gastronomy (by reservation only), 4 pm–4.45 pm. A local, regional and seasonal pairing experience with chef Lúcia Ribeiro from the very popular Taverna by Lúcia. Three harmonisations celebrating the Algarve’s identity and gastronomic wealth.

Negra Mole: the caste (grape) that tells the history of the Algarve (by reservation only), 7.15 pm–7.45 pm. Gilmar Brito – renowned expert and ambassador for Algarve wines – takes us through the history and characteristics of our autochthonous grape, Portugal’s second-oldest variety, with a tasting of five Negra Mole wines that reveal different interpretations. (Insider information: there will be a sparkling, a rosé, a claret, a talha red and an aged Negra Mole.)

Not interested in a masterclass, and just want to taste and meet our local producers? Go for it!!! You can spend the day exploring the Algarve wine world – its producers, its flavours, its terroir, and the passionate people behind this growing wine renaissance. My recommendation: have a full breakfast, use the spittoons, drink water when possible and plan a midday snack; otherwise you might not make it to the end!

To check out which of the Algarve’s 60 star producers will be at the event, go to Instagram, visit the CVA website or go to the booking platform 3cket, where you can read more about the event, register, and pay for your ticket.

For future events, log on to the CVA website or check out their Instagram on the first of every month to get the insider scoop on what’s happening in the Algarve wine world.

Candace Olsen is a sommelier, fine wine consultant, wine educator, and wine writer (vintageredvinhos@gmail.com)