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Celebrating Tavira’s terroir: Casa Santos Lima is ...

Celebrating Tavira’s terroir: Casa Santos Lima is making a mark with new wine tourism venture designed to receive guests in an authentic setting

Casa Santos Lima


By: Alexandra Stilwell

The Algarve continues to gain recognition on the national and international wine scene

Deemed cheap and uninteresting for decades, the region is proving naysayers wrong with increasingly good quality wines. Its south-facing vineyards, benefiting from the cool ocean breeze, over 300 days of sunshine, and the protection of the Serra do Caldeirão and Monchique mountains, are proving ideal for producing crisp, fresh wines in an increasingly hot climate.

Until recently, the region’s producers were concentrated in the Barlavento, the western Algarve, in the Lagoa, Silves and Portimão areas.

However, today, vines are spreading their roots across the Algarve and in Tavira, in the Sotavento (eastern Algarve), one wine-producing company is pulling out the big guns.

Casa Santos Lima, a well-established, family-run, wine-producing company from the Lisbon area, set its eyes on this area of the Algarve over a decade ago and has been growing ever since.

Planting vineyards in Tavira and Pedras D’el Rei, its operation now comprises 58 hectares of vines of 19 grape varieties.

However, true to the terroir, it aims to highlight the region’s autochthonous and traditional grape varieties: the Negra Mole, used to make very open-coloured wines that are fresh and light in flavour but very aromatic, with lots of red fruit and elegant; and the Arinto, a delicious white variety used to produce vibrant wines with lively, refreshing acidity, often with a mineral quality, along with gentle flavours reminiscent of apple, lime and lemon.

To celebrate this terroir and its traditional grapes, Casa Santos Lima has produced a range of single-varietal wines that best express each variety, the first of which was launched in 2014 – the first of the Al Ria brand, which is available in supermarkets across the Algarve.

Since this first launch, it has created many brands under the Casa Santos Lima umbrella, inspired by the spirit of the Algarve and its iconic landmarks: Al Ria, inspired by the Ria Formosa; ARIVAT, the latest release, is Tavira written backwards; Castelo de Tavira, featuring a drawing of Tavira Castle on its label; and so on.

The range is vast and varied, and this is just the beginning, as Casa Santos Lima currently produces wines in seven Portuguese regions, where this creativity is replicated.

To help consumers get to grips with such a choice, the inventive producers have opened a delightful wine tourism centre among its Tavira vines.

Al-Lagar opened in July, making them pioneers on “this side of the Algarve”, with the first wine tourism venue highlighting the regional varieties whilst allowing visitors to discover vintages from six other Portuguese regions: Lisbon, Alentejo, Dão, Douro, Vinho Verde region, and the Azores.

The rustic white-washed 1877 building, once upon a time an olive mill, consists of a tasting room, wine bar, shop, and a secondary building for private tastings. Inside the spacious venue with tall ceilings, stone arches, and terracotta tiled floors, tables line the walls leading up to the mill’s now defunct machinery.

To the right, an alluring wine bar with tall stools calls for visitors to grab a seat and discover the Casa Santos Lima World, all available in the well-stocked shop.

Outside, overlooking the Touriga Nacional and Negra Mole vines, the terrace, with its red metallic tables, chairs, and painted barrels, invites visitors to sit under large white umbrellas.

Here, you can have a glass of wine or a whole bottle, order a charcuterie and cheese board to go with it, or take part in one of the six tastings available, starting at €16 for a white, red and rosé and going up to €35 for the sparkling wine tasting or the Premium tasting, which includes three wines, one white and two reds.

Casa Santos Lima currently exports to 63 countries worldwide. This tremendous export vocation relies mainly on the excellent price/quality ratio that is part of the company’s corporate vision. Its strategy, producing large quantities of wines made for immediate consumption at affordable prices, results in easy-drinking everyday wines to be enjoyed on a sunny day.

Celebrating Tavira’s terroir, among others, is the Castelo de Tavira White 2022 (€6.50). Made from 100% Arinto, it reveals a citrus colour, unique freshness, and vivacity. Perfect to drink as an aperitif or to accompany everyday meals. Then there are the Negra Mole single varietals, a rosé and a red.

The recently launched ARIVAT Negra Mole Rosé 2023 (€5.50) is a wine with a saline profile inherent to the region. On the nose, aromas of craft beer, orange peel and strawberry stand out, complemented by the complexity of aromatic herbs. On the palate, it is refreshing and well-balanced, with a long and persistent finish. Smooth and pleasant, it is a delicious aperitif and is ideal to pair with cheese or sardines.

The red Despedida Negra Mole 2022 (€11.50) is a light-bodied wine with a complex aromatic profile with floral and cherry notes. This wine is elegant, fresh and full of red fruit.

The region’s mild climate and proximity to the sea provide excellent conditions for producing quality grapes, such as the Touriga Nacional and Syrah blended with Negra Mole in the Castelo de Tavira Red 2021(€8). With a deep ruby ​​colour, this wine stands out for its complexity with evident aromas and flavours of ripe red fruit, notes of cedar, chocolate and spices from prolonged ageing in French and American oak barrels.

And to finish any tasting in style, Casa Santos Lima’s Algarve winery produces two delicious sparkling wines characterised by fine and elegant bubbles and great freshness.

The Belíssimo Rosé (€16.50), a Negra Mole single varietal, is light, fruity and fresh with notes of strawberries, and the Belíssimo White (€16.50) is a great expression of the terroir. Made with 100% Arinto, it is like sunshine in a bottle, vivacious and unctuous.

Al-Lagar is open Tuesday to Sunday between 10.30am and 7.45pm.

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