Tables over 5 metres away, where we can enjoy an interesting wine tasting with many flavours added to the mix, accompanied by tapas with products from the region (chouriço, ham and cheese) and homemade olive oil with freshly baked bread also made on the farm.
Unlike traditional wine tasting sessions, there is a place for everyone in Quinta da Tôr, kids included. Probably the little ones will also want to return, because although they do not drink, the pool is very tempting.

In addition to the children, “a lot of people who don’t even like wine also come here and we advise to these people to try a white wine and the amuado. Amuado which means grumpy, is a sweeter red wine – with a child featured on the label”, explained Mário Santos, the owner of Quinta do Tôr.

In the 12 hectares of vineyard that surrounds Quinta da Tôr, there are seven grape varieties - touriga, syrah, aragonez and cabernet sauvignon in the reds. While on the other hand, for whites they have - chardonnay, arinto and Syrah.

Among reserves, younger wines, reds, whites, roses, sweets wines, there are wines for all tastes. For the more curious, expect a detailed explanation but, even for those who are not experts, wines are accompanied by an informal technical sheet in which you can identify the flavours during the tasting.

Speaking of wine, they have an unusual red wine with 17% ABV. Thanks to the hot location, in Loulé, they have to collect the grapes at just the right time and naturally the wine stays with the higher percentage. It was a surprise “when we went to analyse the wine, we had 17% and the winemaker said that with such a high percentage it was not going to be sold”, said Mário Soares.

However, he loved the wine and so did his friends so he decided to put in on the market. It was a good choice, because it has been a success and from then they have always tried to make a wine with 17%.

Farm recovered in 2011

Quinta da Tôr was recovered by Soares family. “We bought the farm in 2011, but we had the first wines only in 2013 and sold the first bottle in April 2014 because the vineyard was abandoned, we had to recover it. It is not a business to make money from quickly, it is a business of patience”, he told The Portugal News.

Mário Soares talks with passion about his vineyards, his wine and also about the history of the place, perhaps because he has a sentimental connection with the land. “My grandparents even had small plots of land rented here on the farm for other purposes - vegetable plots”, he said.

Usually, the tour circuit includes “a visit to the wine cellar where guests can enjoy an explanation of our history and the process, then we go back to the tasting area, where people do the wine tasting that they can accompany with or without tapas and often end up staying, we encourage our visitors to stay and enjoy this place a little longer”, explained Catarina.

To bring this experience also to the western Algarve, they have already bought a new farm in Lagos, where they hope to be able to also apply the same concept. “The project has a beach type pool and also has a very beautiful landscape, with views of the vineyards, similar to the Loulé farm. We believe that we are going to have a successful project in Lagos while also continuing with this farm too”, he concluded.

For further information about Quinta da Tôr, please visit http://quintadator.com/


Author

Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252

Paula Martins