Seven wineries, a passport, four itineraries, many wines to taste: these ingredients make the Algarve Wine Route, which yesterday, Thursday, was officially launched by the Algarve Wine Commission and by the Algarve Tourism Region at BTL – Lisbon Tourism Exchange.
It is the culmination of a long process, which has dragged on for years, and which finally allows the integration of seven wineries, all located in the western Algarve, on a route that tourists can visit. "These seven wineries are, for now, those that are able to receive visitors, with a store, a timetable, the possibility of tasting and visiting conditions, which include, for example, having toilets and parking", he explained to Sul Informação Carlos Garcias, president of the Algarve Wine Commission (CVA).
Carlos Garcias added that the reason why all these seven original Rota wineries are located in Barlavento is because «it is in this part of the Algarve that most of the region's wine production is located». But he added that, «very soon», the Wine Route should include a winery in the municipality of Tavira – Quinta dos Correias, near Fuzeta. "Everything depends on them creating the conditions to receive visitors on a regular basis," said the head of the CVA.
The Algarve Wine Route is divided into four routes, some including only one winery for now – Gil Eanes Route, which includes Monte da Casteleja, in Lagos, Arade, integrating the Adega Quinta do Francês, in Odelouca (Silves) and Quinta do Morgado da Torre, in Penina (Portimão), Mourisco, with Quinta dos Vales, in Lagoa/Silves, and Quinta de Mata Mouros, in Silves, and also the Roteiro das Falésias, with Adega do Cantor, in Guia (Albufeira), and Quinta da Vinha, in Vala (Silves).
In order to follow the Route without getting lost, tourists – and residents – have at their disposal a passport, a small booklet in Portuguese and English with all the information about the wineries, but also about monuments and museums in the areas covered, restaurants and hotels members of the Route and even on other wine producers, even those who are not (yet) part of this Route.
«This passport will be distributed to tourists, and will be available at the Airport of Faro, but also in tourist offices and hotel receptions», he said.
To officially launch this Route, a website, now available online, the brochure/passport with the four itineraries and all the additional information, a promotional film, and a wine list «There are wines in the Algarve», to be used by the restaurants that adhere to the Rota.
Promotion actions will also be carried out at the Airport of Faro, where the Algarve Wine Route will have a stand, to provide wine tastings, provide information and offer a passport. This promotion at the main gateway for tourists to the region starts at Easter.
The Wine Route, promoted by CVA with the financial support of RTA, is operated by the Association of Members of the Algarve Wine Route, which includes producers, but also restaurants and hotels. «In 2010, the Algarve Wine Commission took up this process, brought together public and private entities, and decided to start. For this, the support of the Tourism Region, which provided financial support, was fundamental”, said Carlos Garcias.
For his part, Desidério Silva, president of the RTA, stressed, in statements to journalists on the sidelines of the official presentation at BTL, that, “when I arrived at the RTA, I found the process stopped. That's why all my encouragement was to get back together, to make the Route, to make a renewed Wine Guide. Of course, all this has to do with the producers, with their dynamics, with everything that involves the offer. The only thing I asked was for the Route to cover the entire region as much as possible. This is the beginning, other wineries will certainly follow».
Carlos Garcias, president of CVA, added, finally, that in 2013 the Algarve produced only one million liters of wine, "which is very little in the national context". But, as Hermínio Rebelo, chief sommelier, would have to underline, they are wines of “great quality” and, above all, “of a quality that is constantly increasing”. And that now they can be discovered in a more organized way by visitors and residents. All you need is a passport and discover this Algarve Wine Route.
Note: O Sul Informação visited BTL at the invitation of the Algarve Tourism Region
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