Share This Article
In my opinion, one of the most well kept secrets of Azores is its fantastic wine tastings in Pico island. Not even us, continental Portuguese, have ever heard about the Azorean wines and yet, they are making some of the best white wines in the country and visiting them is one of the best things to do in Pico island.
But before I let you know where to go wine tasting in Pico island in Azores, here are a few important pieces of information…
What to know before going for wine tasting in Pico island in the Azores
- Most of the wines produced in the Azores are white wines, mostly with three incredible native grape varieties: Arinto dos Açores, Verdelho and Terrantez. So if you are not fond of white wines, maybe wine tasting in PIco island in Azores is not the right activity for you!
- Most of the wineries are located in the West coast, and near the Atlantic Ocean (because, the closer you get to the Pico mountain, the more cloudy it gets – which is no good for grapes!).
In the Northwest coast you will find three wineries close to one another: Azores Wine Company, Pico wines and A Cerca dos Frades, whereas in the Southwest coast you will find Insula Wines, Lucas do Amaral and Adega do Vulcão. - Wine tasting in Pico island in Azores is considerably more expensive than in Continental Portugal. This happens because, due to the rugged terrain, low production per hectare of vines, and scarce labor, the Azorean wines are scarce and expensive.
This shouldn’t deter you from going wine tasting in Pico island in Azores – on the contrary, it should give you a greater appreciation for the grit of the people from Pico, who are able to make fantastic wines from stones!
Wine tasting in Pico island in the Azores: the top places
Azores Wine Company
As I regularly take clients (on my wine tours) to Joana Maçanita’s winery in the Douro Valley, I had high expectations for the Azores Wine Company, a project of her brother António in partnership with two others,, and luckily I was not disappointed.
In the middle of the protected landscape of the Pico vineyards, with their tiny volcanic stone corrals, a building naturally rises, that is, at the same time, a wine cellar, a wine tasting room and a small hotel with a restaurant.
(By the way, if you still haven’t decided where to stay in Pico I strongly recommend that you to stay at Azores Wine Company because you will have a truly unique experience, sleeping in its magnificent vineyards).
Azores Wine Company does not allow visits to the cellar (unless it is for private groups) but it is available to do wine tastings for anyone, in two different rooms. You can choose to do one of the predefined wine tastings (with prices between 30€ and 50€) or you can order a wine by the glass, as you prefer. You can also order a board of the best cheeses of the Azores and regional jams.
Schedules: every day of the week, at 14h, 15h, 16h and 17h.
Prices: the prices range from 30€ (for a tasting of three single grape wines) to 75€ (for a tasting of four António Maçanita’s wines from different wine regions in Portugal, paired with a Portuguese cheese and charcuterie board).
How to book your wine tasting: send an email to info@azoreswinecompany.com.
A Cerca dos Frades
After visiting the Azores Wine Company I asked for recommendations of who to visit next and they told me to talk to Tito, the owner of A Cerca dos Frades. And I am SO HAPPY that I did it because Tito is a wonderful, wonderful host who immediately took me on his pick up for a fabulous drive inside his property.
Tito explained everything to me, from the history of wine production in Pico to the unique terroir of this island in Azores to family stories that made my visit even more special. And then, at a gorgeous viewpoint inside his winery, we took a bottle of wine from his pick up (which I hadn’t noticed before!) and we had a fairytale wine toast. Fabulous!
Later, he took me to a cute little room by the ocean where we proceeded with the wine tasting. If weather permits, you can have the wine tasting at A Cerca dos Frades outdoors, a few meters away from the water. It is truly magic and a truly unique experience.
How to book your wine tasting: send an email to geral@titos.pt.
Insula Wines
If Tito is the great ambassador of the vines in Pico, Paulo Machado is the magician winemaker behind both Insula Wines and A Cerca do Frades, resulting in sophisticated, balanced white wines that age beautifully in the bottle.
Paulo Machado is a man of few words and great talent, and it was great to be shown around his property in the southwest area of the island, where he taught me about the unique terroir of Pico, which makes for higher saltiness and acidity in the wines.
He also showed me the tiny apartments he has for rent inside his property, overlooking both the vines and the Atlantic Ocean.
Schedules: From Tuesdays to Sundays, from 15h30 to 19h00.
Prices: these wine tastings in Pico island in Azores range from 20€ (three wines) to 50€ (four wines carefully selected by the winemaker himself).
How to book your wine tasting: send an email to insulavinus@gmail.com.
Pico Wines
Adega Cooperativa do Pico is probably the oldest wine producer in Pico island, and this can be seen on the somewhat dilapidated walls of the main building. However, we quickly forget about that thanks to the kindness of Carmén and Filipa, who welcomed us with open arms, explaining not only the wines to be tasted but also the entire history of wine production on the island of Pico. It is fascinating!
Another interesting thing at Adega Cooperativa do Pico, where you can do one of the best wine tastings on Pico Island in the Azores, is the fact that you can taste a wide variety of wines, from white and Rosé wines to red, sparkling and even liqueur wines. aged.
Last but not the least, even though wines in Açores are generally speaking quite expensive compared to the wines from Continental Portugal, the wine tastings at Adega Cooperativa do Pico are actually fairly priced and cheaper than all the other wine tastings in Pico island in Azores.
Schedules: Monday to Friday, at 11h, 12h, 14h, 15h and 16h.
Prices: it depends on the wine tasting that you choose, but it ranges from 15€ / person (3 wines) to 50€ / person (9 wines). You can complement the wine tasting with a cheese board for an extra 10€.
How to book your wine tasting: send an email to enoturismo@picowines.com or call them on +351912533243.
Lucas Amaral
If you ask anyone here about where to go wine tasting in Pico island in Azores, the first answer is going to be: “Lucas Amaral”. And indeed, Lucas has a story well worth telling.
In the spring of Lucas’s 19th birthday, he discovered that the usual buyer of his Fernão Pires grapes would not proceed with the purchase. Instead of panicking, Lucas got to work and decided to produce his own wines that same year.
With the technical help of other local wine producers and the support of the family, that same year, he launched several wines, as well as a small wine tourism room, resulting from the renovation of his great-grandfather’s old cellar.
In this room in front of the ocean, with capacity for 24 people, Lucas’ mother will welcome you for a wine tasting in Pico island in Azores, that can be paired with homemade tapas, like cheese boards and Portuguese sausages, grilled limpets or crabs with corn bread or simply cookies with jam.
Schedules: everyday (including Saturdays and Sundays) from 14h30 to 18h00.
Prices: it ranges from 20€ (three entry level wines) to 25€ (five wines).
How to book your wine tasting: call them on +351961664837.
Cella Bar
If you want a beautiful place where you can do wine tasting in Pico island in Azores but without committing to a single producer, then the iconic Cella Bar might be the best option for you.
There, you can order 25 different Azorean wines (by the bottle) or go for a wine tasting for 14€, which includes a red, a rosé and a white wine. However, Cella Bar has a very limited choice of wines by the glass and worst, some of them are not even from the Azores islands (!).
Last but not the least, if you decide to go to Cella bar make sure not only to check its schedule BUT ALSO to call in advance because their schedule is quite confusing and ever changing.
Schedules: from Fridays to Tuesday, from 16h to 23h. It is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. But it is best to call in advance to make a reservation.
Prices: it is a bar so it really depends on what you order, but if you can also go for an entry level wine tasting of three Pico wines for 14€.
