Portugal Archives -

Casal das Aires Alicante Bouschet 2022 Review – Approachable

After our first trip to Portugal in 2021, I fell in love with the lesser grown grape Alicante Bouschet.

This big, bold red is quite a delicious bottle, and I never say no to an opportunity to pick up a bottle to enjoy now or squirrel away in my cellar.

So when we were flying home from Portugal for our second visit in 2026, I made sure to get a few bottles to enjoy later. One was the Casal das Aires Vinhas Velhas Alicante Bouschet from Tejo which drank just a little differently from bottles we have had in the past.

This cooler climate (or, cooler by Portuguese standards at least) was much lighter and more approachable than the big bold Alentejo bottles we are used to!

During our many travels in Portugal, we have fallen in love with numerous local grapes. So much so that Portugal is quickly becoming one of our favorite wine producing countries out there.

As such, we naturally had to try some higher end Alvarinho when we were in the country, and picked up a bottle of Muros de Melgaco to bring home. If you haven’t had some of the higher-end Alvarinho and only know the green Vinho Verde, you’re in for a treat- these wines can get fairly complex!

Oh, Madeira- you are such a cool island.

Out of all of the places we’ve been to, Madeira is among the most magical. From stellar views, great food, to incredible wine, and more, there really is a lot to love about this island.

So if you are planning a visit, particularly to go wine tasting, you may wonder, where is the best place to stay in Maderia?

We’ve got you covered in this one!

I’ve been fortunate to visit Porto several times now, and every time we visit, we always make it our mission to check out some of the best Port wine houses in Vila Nova di Gaia- just opposite Porto across the Douro River.

Although wine is (typically) not made in Vila Nova di Gaia, its history is an interesting one for maturation and export. Historically, many Douro Valley wineries would bring barrels of wine down the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia for aging and bottling, as the Douro Valley was, until very recently (thanks to modern air conditioning), not suitable for maturing wines.

This led to a large chunk of Vila Nova di Gaia being converted to massive warehouses to house thousands upon thousands of barrels of wine, and, thanks to the advantage of being just a bit upriver from the ocean, also allowed for port access for exports around the world!

Today, many of the most famous wineries in the region have Port houses in Vila Nova di Gaia, and there are several you shouldn’t miss when visiting Porto!

When we booked our trip to Madeira, we knew that visiting the island’s acclaimed wineries for the famous fortified wine of the same name was a high on our list.

While we did not get to visit every winery on the island, we did our best and hit five of the top fortified wine producers (plus one bonus still wine maker as well).

So in this one, we thought we’d break down each of the Madeira wineries we visited and share some insights on what premium tours were worth it, too!

If you’re on the quest to try rare grapes and happen to find yourself in Portugal, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle of Ramisco from the Colares region.

This rare Portuguese grape is only grown in Colares, and is an interesting spot as it is located near the ocean in sandy, phylloxera-free soils. The result? A very interesting and bold red wine that can come with a bit of age to it, too!

We found Fundacao Oriente’s Ramisco at a Garrafeira Nacional in Porto and had to enjoy it right then and there. We later went back to buy more bottles to take home!

We’ve been enjoying wines from Filipa Pato for quite some time now, and have had our eyes on the 3B sparkling rose brut nature as one to try.

This one is quite the interesting bottle, and, for those curious, the 3B element stands for the grapes, Baga and Bical, as well as the origin- Bairrada!

So if you’re in the mood for an easy-drinking sparkling rose from Portugal, give this one a try!

If you’re planning a wine trip to the Douro Valley, odds are good one of the earliest questions will be about where to stay.

The good news is that the Douro Valley has numerous options for all budgets and interests. The bad news is that the Douro Valley is, in a word, massive, and driving around the steep patamares can be quite challenging and, just as important, time consuming.

So in this one, we want to take a look at some considerations for choosing where to stay in the Douro Valley!

Touriga Nacional is one of those Portuguese grapes that needs a bit of time. In fact, we’re so used to seeing this one in aged port over a still wine that the age often comes naturally.

So when we got lucky enough to find two bottles of UDACA Dao Touriga Nacional 2014 on clearance at a local wine shop, we grabbed both with one to enjoy now and one to age.

This is an important distinction, because at 10 years old this one was only starting to show its potential!

Madeira is one of my favorite fortified wines, and when it comes to a style that goes with just about everything, we almost always reach for a Boal.

This particular bottle from Cossart Gordon was an interesting one because it was perhaps the most aged Boal we’ve had yet. At 15 years it hit all the right notes of fruit, nuts, and more!

Casal das Aires Alicante Bouschet 2022 Review – Approachable

Muros de Melgaco Alvarinho 2024 Review – Growing Intensity

Where to Stay in Madeira for Wine Tasting

7 Port Wine Houses to Visit in Vila Nova di Gaia

5 Madeira Wineries to Visit for Fortified Wine Tasting

Fundacao Oriente Colares Ramisco 2013 Review – Rare Red

Filipa Pato 3B Rose Brut Nature Review – Fruity Sparkling Rose

Where to Stay in the Douro Valley for Wine Tasting

UDACA Dao Touriga Nacional 2014 Review – Best With Age

Cossart Gordon Maderia Boal 15 Year Review – Delicious