Many of you will have been to the Algarve on holiday, but did you know that they also make some very interesting wines.

In this article you can find out about the variety of wines the Algarve produces, the main local grapes and life as a wine maker in Sir Cliff Richard’s Winery, Adega do Cantor.

A Bit about the Algarve

The Algarve is the most southern region of Portugal and has four separate DOC’s; Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Tavira.

• Lagos – The red wine is smooth and fruity with a low acidity level. The white wine is lemon-straw in colour and tends to be full bodied.

• Portimão – The red wine is light, smooth with low acidity and high alcohol content. The white wine is straw-coloured with a soft and rich aromatic flavour.

• Lagoa – The soft and sandy soil and warm climate provides a rich distinct flavour. The red wines are ruby coloured which develop with age and are easy to drink. The white wine is soft and full bodied. Both have high alcohol content.

• Tavira – The red wine is soft and pale coloured and with a fruity aroma. The white wine is straw-coloured, smooth and full bodied.

The Main Local Grapes are:

• Red – Negra Mole and Castelão
• White – Roupeiro (sira), Bual Branco (malvasia Fina) and Manteudo.

We interviewed Max Birch from one of Sir Cliff Richard’s Wineries, Adega do Cantor, to find out about life in the Algarve…

What is your favourite wine that you make in the Algarve region?
At the moment it is a single varietal Alicanté Bouschet that we have had in barrel for 10 months and that will be released next year.

3 words to describe this favourite wine?
Structured, Corpulent, Intense.

What international food would you match with it?
Grilled Black Pig with Salt. I know this is not international but it should be. Also it is genuinely one of the only foods strong enough to match Southern Portuguese Alicanté.

What do you do when you’re not making wine?
I eat fantastic Portuguese food and gain weight. Then I run around after my two small children to lose it.

To taste wines from the Algarve click here or log onto www.viniportugal.co.uk and search by region to find a retailer or stockiest closest to you.

You can also taste wines from Vida Nova with Oz Clarke, simply click here and enjoy the 6 wines all available in Waitrose.

The far North West of the country next to Spain, it is relatively cool and moist with high mountains away from the coast. It is a stunning area with waterfalls, wooded valleys, meadows and craggy upland moors. Recent replanting and restructuring of grapes has lead to a huge improvement in the quality of its famous Vinho Verde wines.

Vinho Verde is a distinctive Portuguese wine style that is light and crisp with a low alcohol percentage, it shares the common denominator of needing to be drunk young, preferably within a year or two of release.

Why don’t you try Quinta da Aveleda or Casa Garcia Rosé which are fantastic wines from the Minho region.

Booths Supermarkets has a fantastic money saving promotion on their Casal Mendes Vinho Verde and Rosé wine, grab a bottle for just £3.99 throughout July and August*!

Click here to find your nearest Booths supermarket. *Offer starts from 28th July and ends on 21st August

We interviewed Manuel Vieira from Sogrape Vinhos S.A. to find out what it’s like to be a wine maker in the Vinho Verde…

Which is your favourite wine that you make in Vinho Verde region?

I would have to say Quinta de Azevedo 2009, for the great company it can be served on its own or paired with food! This wine is available from Waitrose, see what the ebullient Oz Clarke has to say about this wine below:

3 words to describe this favorite wine?

Fresh, aromatic and deliciously acid!

What international food would you match with it?

Quinta de Azevedo is ideal with grilled fish and seafood, personally I love it with oysters in rice wine and ginger vinaigrette.

What do you do when you’re not making wine?

I love reading and spending time with my family, enjoying every minute until my son and daughter are old enough to get married!