Wine Tasting in Reguengos de Moranza, Portugal

Though I didn’t choose to spend a month in Reguengos de Moranza for its wine, I certainly should have!

It was the European wine capital of 2015 and is one of the most important areas in the Alentejo region, which is the most important wine area of Portugal.

Yesterday, I did my fruit and vegetable shopping at the municipal market and the 2 small local convenience stores. There I saw my first Reguengos wine, priced at 2.49 euros. Of course, I had to buy a white and a red to try it. Then today at the Continente, I saw a white one for 1.49 euros. I can’t resist trying these wines in countries that make good wine at reasonable prices (I would never try this in Canada!) so I bought that, too. When I moved on to the wine section, I saw 50% off for a lot of bottles. No, I did not buy any more! But I did wonder, how cheap can they go?

As I had been told that Adega Jose de Sousa’s winery makes wine in the ancient Roman way with huge amphoras, I stopped in there for a tasting. Only 1 wine is wholly made in the amphoras, with two others being partially made in the amphoras, and the rest being made in steel drums.

This was the most atypical tasting I have experienced. The price list showed prices per glass, like I was at a bar, with the cheapest being 3.50 euros. I was told that was for a glass of wine (which would be more than a taste but seemed to justify the price) but what she poured was a 1-ounce taste.

Then, silly me, I looked at the bottles lined up on the shelf behind me and saw that the wine that I just paid 3.50 euros for one ounce cost 6.99 euros per bottle! I also noted that the taste for the 35 euro bottle of wine (made in the amphora) is 8 euros.

Note to self – do some more research before choosing where to do my next wine tastings.

Walking around town today, I came across a number of wine bars and a lovely wine shop on the main square by the church – plenty of opportunities to do more research and learn the wine and customs.

By the way, the temperature here today was 33 C, and these white buildings are blinding in the bright sun.