Azores and its wines are still an hidden gem ready to be discovered. The archipelago has nine beautiful islands with lots to see and do, you have mountains, sea, the beautiful Lagoa das 7 Cidades (the 7 city Lagoon) which is one of the most famous tourist attractions of the region, and of course the food and wine that are also exquisite. The region does not have a wide wine production but it does produce some great fortified wine. Tourism is quite predominant in the Azores. The natural beauty together with great food and wine is a must-see for everyone who loves nature and experiencing new things.
The region
Wine production is not very big in this archipelago, only 3 islands produce wine and there’s not a great amount produced there. The climate of the region is not that suitable for vines, the islands situated in the middle of the Atlantic suffer its strong influences such as the very strong winds. That has not deterred the locals from producing wines, and in fact, the Azores produces wines since the 15th Century. However, and to protect the grapes from the strong maritime climate, the locals came up with a solution that protects the vines from the harsh climate, they built stone walls they call “currais”. This way, the vines are protected from the strong winds and salt from the sea.
The region is sub-divided into 3 sub-regions: Graciosa, Pico and Biscoitos that is located on Terceira island. These regions have their own Denomination of Origin stamp and were established in 1994.
The grapes
The region only produces white wines, specially fortified wines produced in Pico and Graciosa. In a small region in Terceira called Biscoitos you will find a nice white wine. The grapes grown on the island are only white varieties: Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia Fina, Terrantez and Verdelho.
The wines
Pico and Graciosa are famous for their fortified wines. Graciosa also produces great white wine. Pico is well known for it’s fortified wines and they are considered the best wines produced in this region. Terceira, more specifically the small region of Biscoitos also produces fortified wines but are known for its light and dry white wine.