Wine regions
Algarve: wine from the west, on the Atlantic coast
Everyone knows the Algarve for its beaches. As a wine region it is far less known. We only work with wine from the west of the Algarve, where the ocean brings coolness. There, Filippo Pozzi makes his Atlas wines from old, scattered vineyards around Aljezur.
The Algarve at a glance
| Location | The south coast of Portugal, sheltered from the north wind by the Serra de Monchique |
|---|---|
| Appellations | IGP Algarve for the whole region; DOP Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Tavira (from west to east) |
| Vineyard area | 1,202 ha (2025), one of the smallest wine regions in Portugal |
| Climate | More than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year; the west is cooler and more humid thanks to the Atlantic Ocean, the east warmer and drier |
| Local grapes | Negra Mole (red) and Crato Branco (white, also called Síria), alongside Castelão and others |
| Tradition | In the past mainly fortified wine, made in cooperatives |
Area: Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV), 2025.
Why we only believe in the western Algarve
Most of the Algarve is hot and dry. The sun shines for more than 3,000 hours a year, and the difference between day and night temperatures, which keeps grapes fresh elsewhere in Portugal, is small. Grapes ripen quickly and lose their acidity.
Making wine in such a climate almost always means intervening: irrigating in the vineyard and adding acid in the cellar. That is permitted and common practice, but it does not suit the wines we look for: wines made as naturally as possible, with a balance of their own.
In the west, things are different. West of Faro, and especially along the Costa Vicentina around Aljezur, the cool, humid influence of the Atlantic reaches the vineyards. Old vines still grow there that give healthy, fresh grapes without irrigation. That is why we source our Algarve wines exclusively from there.
Atlas Land: Filippo Pozzi in Aljezur
Filippo Pozzi came from Italy to the Portuguese coast to surf, and stayed. Around Aljezur he discovered small, old vineyards scattered across the landscape, often with different grape varieties planted side by side. He managed to secure a few plots and vinifies the grapes in the simplest possible way: hand-picked, fermented in open vats or old wooden casks.
We got to know Filippo before he bottled his first wine, and waited more than two years for the first bottles. His Atlas wines are lively, fresh and full of character: proof that natural wine of the highest level can indeed grow in the west of the Algarve. Read more about Atlas Land.
Our Algarve wines
Frequently asked questions about wine from the Algarve
Does the Algarve make good wine?
The region has a long tradition, but the hot, dry climate makes it hard to produce fresh wine. The most exciting wines come from the west, where the Atlantic Ocean brings coolness.
Which grapes grow in the Algarve?
Typical of the region are Negra Mole and Crato Branco. The old vineyards around Aljezur also contain Castelão, Boal Branco, Boal Roxo and Bastardo, often planted side by side.
Where can you buy Algarve wine in Belgium?
The Portugal Collection imports the Atlas wines of Filippo Pozzi directly from Aljezur. You can order them online with delivery throughout Belgium, or pick them up in Roeselare.
Climate and appellations: The Oxford Companion to Wine, via JancisRobinson.com. Area: IVV.