The Algarve is famous for beaches and golf, but a short drive inland there's a quieter food-and-wine story unfolding. The latest chapter: more than 70 members of the Algarve Wine Society gathered for a tasting and long lunch at Paraíso do Algarve, a traditional countryside restaurant near the village of Paderne, hosted by one of the region's most ambitious winemakers.
The man behind the wines is Rui Virgínia, owner and winemaker at Quinta do Barranco Longo — the largest privately-owned vineyard in the Algarve. He poured six flagship wines for the group, matched to a proper Algarvian spread: squid, roast fillet of pork, local cheeses, and a dessert that hit it off with the estate's award-winning Late Harvest. The Tinto Reserva 2013, served in magnum, was reportedly the bottle members reached for most when the sales table opened afterwards, staffed by the winery's Head of Sales, Vera Franco.
The venue choice was a stopgap in the best sense. Quinta do Barranco Longo is building a new winery complex — underground cellar, rooftop restaurant and a futuristic tasting room — that won't open until 2027. Until then, Paraíso do Algarve, run by Helena Gonçalves and her team, proved a more than capable stand-in.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: the Algarve's wine country is worth the detour. The inland hills around Paderne, São Brás de Alportel and beyond are a different pace entirely from the coastal resorts — whitewashed villages, citrus groves, and small estates pouring wines most visitors never hear about. The society's committee says it hopes to return in 2027 for a premium tasting timed to the new complex's inauguration, but you don't need a membership card to explore. Quinta do Barranco Longo welcomes visitors, and restaurants like Paraíso do Algarve serve exactly the kind of homely regional cooking that makes these wines make sense.
If you're planning a winter or spring Algarve trip and want more than sun, a day trip inland — a vineyard visit, a long lunch, a case or two in the boot — is one of the region's most rewarding detours. Details on tastings and membership events are at algarvewinesociety.com.
