Cork Harvest and the Alentejo Wines

Cork, a precious and versatile raw material, is the outer layer of the cork oak tree. This is most easily stripped off the tree in late Spring and Summer when the layers are fragile and tear without being damaged. Trees quickly form new layers of cork and restores its protective barrier.

Here, no tree is cut down! This simple fact makes cork harvest in Alentejo as highly sustainable, leading to a unique balance between people and nature.

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This is one of the moments that marks the way of life of the Alentejo Montado! The cork harvest, when workers of large fields of cork and holm oaks are dedicated to taking off the cork layers, creating one of the most traditional images of the Alentejo Montado.

Take yourself part in building the stacks of cork, feeling like a real Alentejano! Enjoy the magnificent landscapes of rolling plains, where the surrounding tranquility invites you to a stop and to enjoy each moment.

And then lunch. You will get the chance to taste the creamy bread soups seasoned with purslane or cilantro; the famous Carne de Porco à Alentejana, stew made with pork and clams served over potatoes; and secretos de porco made from the famed Iberian black pig.

By the afternoon, you will discover and taste the large variety of wines from this region on a visit to two traditional wineries. Their whites have refreshing acidity, intense fruit, and original aromas; red wines are fruity but fresh and are characterized by their elegance that lingers on the palate.

On our way back to Lisbon, enjoy the Alentejo landscape by the sunset and get amazed by one of the most beautiful and breathtaking pictures of Portugal!