The Best Algarve Wine of 2017 is Quinta do Barradas Reserva Red 2014, which received the only Great Gold Medal at the X Algarve Wine Contest, promoted by the Algarve Wine Commission (CVA), in partnership with the Sommelier Association of Portugal (AEP).
In an edition marked by the «excellence of wines in the tasting» and given that all classifications were above 85 points, there was no place for bronze medals, having been awarded, in addition to the great gold medal, six gold medals and twenty silver medals .
Open to white, rosé and red wines, the tasting of the X Algarve Wine Contest, organized and promoted by CVA, took place on the 9th of April, at the Hotel PortoBay Falésia, in Albufeira. The competition's jury – made up of specialist national sommeliers – awarded medals to 27 of the 85 wines in the competition.
According to Carlos Gracias, president of the Algarve Wine Commission, «Algarve wine producers and their teams are to be congratulated for the excellent results obtained. We surpassed the participation rate of last year, ensuring the registration of 23 producers in the Algarve, reaching 85 references of wines to be tasted».
“This competition is increasingly an important event in the Algarve wine calendar, and beyond, since, by distinguishing the quality and variety of our wines, we are promoting the region,” added Carlos Gracias.
The president of the CVA also stressed that, «in this edition, the jury's score was the highest ever, which reveals the ascending position, both in quality and in the character of our nectars, which confirms that the region's commitment in viticulture it is on the right path».
In this most recent campaign, the Algarve produced one million liters of certified wine, which, stresses the president of the CVA, is very little compared to other wine regions. But, if at the level of quantity there has been no growth – and that is not the intention –, the same is not happening with quality.
In statements to the Sul Informação, Carlos Gracias highlighted the «consistent» rise in the quality of the Algarve's wines: «in the last four years, in this type of competition, with blind tastings and on equal terms with wines from all regions, the Algarve has had between 40 and 50 wines awarded in national and international competitions».
A large part of the Algarve's production is made of red wines, but the Wine Commission has been betting, in recent years, on the «implementation of more white vines». And there has already been growth: «currently 30 to 40% of the wine produced in the Algarve is already white», reveals Carlos Gracias.
And why this bet on whites? «The Algarve has good characteristics to produce good white wines», although, due to the summer heat, it is probably necessary to «harvest earlier». But, precisely because of the heat, the region promotes the consumption of white wines, «which are served fresh and, therefore, can have a much higher consumption in the summer, when there are more tourists».
Taking into account the small size of the Algarve's wine production, with one million bottles of certified wine per year, as well as a medium-sized cooperative winery in Alentejo, Carlos Gracias has no doubts that the bet has to be «on the market in the region». And if the region has many tourists, hungry for fresh, aromatic wine to quench their thirst caused by the heat, then this will have to be the bet.
In fact, the sector's numbers seem to justify this bet: 80% of the wine produced in the Algarve is consumed in the region, 15% is exported and only 5% is sold to the rest of the country.
“In recent years, a big step has been taken towards the recognition of our wines, with the help of the catering and hotel industry. But it was up to the consumer who began to demand Algarve wines in restaurants», stressed the president of CVA.
With the quality of Algarve wines being attested in competitions, such as the one that took place last Sunday in Albufeira, the emergence of new producers, the survival of the sector seems to be assured.
In total, this X Algarve Wine Contest, which this year took place for the first time outside the municipality of Lagoa, awarded nine wines from Silves, four wines from Lagoa, four wines from Portimão and as many from Lagos, two wines from Tavira and another two from Albufeira, as well as one wine from Loulé and another from Faro.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Algarve Wine Symposium, in yet another CVA initiative, scheduled for May 11, at the Hotel and Tourism School, in Faro.
X Algarve Wine Contest
List of Medaled Wines
Great Gold Medal: “Best Wine in the Algarve”
Quinta do Barradas Reserva Red 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Secular Routes – Unipessoal Ltd (Silves)
Gold medal:
Al-Ria Reserva Red 2015 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Casa Santos Lima, Companhia das Vinhas, SA (Tavira)
Dialog Red 2012 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Quinta dos Vales, Ltd. (Lagoa)
Foral de Portimão Reserva Red 2014 (Vinho Regional Algarve)
AAC Ltd. (Portimão)
Herdade dos Seromenhos Reserva Red 2015 (Vinho Regional Algarve)
Agricultural Company Herdade dos Seromenhos, Lda. (Lagos)
Onda Nova Syrah Red 2013 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Adega do Cantor – Sociedade de Vitivinicultura, Lda. (Reservoir)
Quinta do Barradas Selection Red 2015 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Secular Routes – Unipessoal, Lda. (Silves)
Silver medal:
Al-Ria Rosé 2016 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Casa Santos Lima, Companhia das Vinhas, SA (Tavira)
Quinta da Tôr – Algibre Red 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Turinox, Ltd. (Loulé)
Borges da Silva Red 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Luis Carlos Borges da Silva (Lagos)
Cabrita Red 2015 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Jose Manuel Cabrita (Silves)
Convento do Paraíso Cabernet Sauvignon Red 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Convento do Paraíso, Ltd. (Silves)
Edd's Private Collection Reserva Red 2014 (Vinho Regional Algarve)
Concepts by Edd's II, Lda. (Lagoon)
Euphoria Red 2014 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Convento do Paraíso, Ltd. (Silves)
Foral de Portimão Rosé 2016 (Wine Regional Algarve)
AAC, Ltd. (Portimão)
Helwigus Red 2015 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Helwig C. Ehlers (Faro)
Herdade dos Pimenteis Red 2013 Reserva (Vinho Regional Algarve)
Herdade dos Pimenteis, Ltd. (Portimão)
Jaap Rosé 2016 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Jacobus Honekamp (Silves)
Lacóbriga Branco 2016 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Agricultural Company Herdade dos Seromenhos, Lda. (Lagos)
Malaca Rosé 2016 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Agricultural Company Quinta da Malaca, SA (Silves)
Marquês dos Vales Grace Arinto Branco 2015 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Quinta dos Vales, Ltd. (Lagoa)
Marquês dos Vales DUO Tinto 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Quinta dos Vales, Ltd. (Lagoa)
Odelouca Branco 2016 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Patrick Agostini (Silves)
Onda Nova Viognier White 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
Adega do Cantor – Sociedade de Vitivinicultura, Lda. (Reservoir)
Quinta da Penina Reserva Red 2014 (Wine Regional Algarve)
AAC, Ltd. (Portimão)
Quinta de Ferrel Reserva Branco 2016 (PDO Lagos)
Agricultural Company Herdade dos Seromenhos, Lda. (Lagos)
Quinta do Francês White 2016 (Regional Algarve Wine)
Patrick Agostini (Silves)
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