These days you can see it all over the Algarve, the vines buds grow and build the first leaves and shoots. Even fruit trees like peach are already blooming, while the northern parts of Europe still are in the hand of the winter with night frost and the last snow. The pictures below show last year planted Cabernet vines, first the bud and only three days later the first leaves.

2008 Quinta do Francês Odelouca River Valley Vinho Regional Algarve A mix of  Trincadeira, Aragonez, Cabernet and Syrah. 14 months of aging in new French Barriques. This sounds like a good combination, and it is. Even if this Algarve red wine does not show an opulent nose or a fat appearance in the mouth, it is a wine of  balance close to →

2008 Herdade dos Pimenteis Reserva Vinho Regional Algarve This Algarve Reserve is a blend of the two grapes, Aragonez and Touriga Nacional.  It shows medium ruby colour with some violet and red reflexes.  The scent is elegant but deep with defined notes violets and plum. In the mouth the Herdade dos Pimenteis Reserva shows high viscosity and some soft tannins. →

2009 Qo Tinto Vinho Regional Algarve Quinta do Outeiros Algarve red wine uses a new mix of varieties, with bigger parts of Trincadiera and Aragonez (both 30%), 20% of Syrah, 15 % of Alicante Bouschet and some Touriga Nacional. It shows dark ruby colour with brick-red reflexes.  The nose of the Qo Tinto deep with warm aromas of dark cherry, licorice →

This is one of the typical traditional vineyards in the hills of the Algarve. Even if it does look like spring because the ground is covered with fresh green herbs, grass and flowers, this is the Algarves winter. Temperatures may fall to zero degrees centigrade at night, but with sunshine during daytime 16° to 20°C are →

2007 Vida Nova Tinto Reserva Quinta do Moinho Vinho Regional Algarve This red wine is made from 85% Syrah and 15% Aragonez. It is matured for twelve months in French and American oak barrels, and for six more on the bottle. Compact ruby red with violet reflexes. The nose with some aromas of  coffee and sweet red fruits is elegant, but not →

2007 Barranco Longo Alicante Bouschet Vinho Regional Algarve Made from 100% Alicante Bouschet, this wine is matured in French and American oak barrels for twelve months. The colour is concentrated violet with a ruby red ring at the glass. In the first minutes after pulling the cork the nose reminds of a good malt whiskey. But only after a few minutes →

2008 Cabrita Tinto Vinho Regional Algarve The Cabrita is made from Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional and Aragonez. To prevent the grapes from damage the harvest was collected in small boxes.  The wine is aged for eight months in French oak barrels. The scent of the Cabrita is fruity with some hints of spices and vanilla. On the palate the wine is round and →

2009 João Clara Tinto Vinho Regional Algarve The João Clara Tinto is made from Trincadeira, Syrah, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional. The wine is aged in French oak barrels before bottling, which results in an intensive and deep nose of roasted coffee and ripe dark fruit. The color of the wine is deep purple, one of the most concentrated I have →

2008 Lagoa Reserva Branco Vinho Regional Algarve This white wine is made from Siria grapes, one of the typical white grape of the Algarve. Clear golden colour. In the nose there seems to be a hint of citrus at first, but after this small fruity Algarve sunbeam there are aromas reminding of mushroom, mint and some scents of a weak Madeira or →