Production

Wine “Monte do Além” in Odiáxere (municipality of Lagos) is little known in the Algarve. However, wine-lovers in Belgium, France and Bulgaria know the name well that adorns the bottles of the precious nectar. The smallholding has about six hectares of organic vines, certificated by ECOCERT, planted between 2000 and 2003, where the grape varieties cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, syrah and aragonês flourish. As it is impossible for a small producer of between 25,000 and 30,000 bottles to make its mark with quantity, they capture markets through their excellent value for money. In 2012, the winery received the diploma …

Surfing was always about communing with nature. But as the sport became more professional and industrial, boards underwent some changes. Initially made of wood, they started being made from oil-based plastics responsible for large quantities of carbon emissions. In Portugal, in the historical location of Óbidos, carpenter José Antunes made the most of the misfortune of losing his job to counteract this trend – he started making surfboards from wood. José started by making durable toys for his two children. But, if children could have wooden toys, why not adults too? And that is how Yoni Surfboards came into being. …

It’s just a small step from organic agriculture to sustainable development Projecto 270 may be just a farm, but it is actually much more than that. It covers half a hectare and is located between the beaches of Praia da Riviera and Praia da Rainha on the Costa da Caparica. It’s been running for a decade and is organically certified. The idea for the project arose in Genoa at a demonstration against globalisation, putting into practice the motto “Think globally, act locally”. Its name comes from the number of the plot. To start with it was quite a sandy, family …

A holistic view of economics, which puts it in its rightful place, in the service of people with skilful hands, who are guarantors of expertise and quality, working in partnership with nature in order to offer people unique experiences, appears to be a successful way of boosting regional production. As AMO – Produto Local can attest. Regional products in lotion containers? Passers-by cannot fail to notice the black packaging with its modern design bearing the brand-name AMO, where no detail is left to chance. Even if these do not go unnoticed and remind one of lotion pots, what they contain …

The company “Sabores da Geninha” devotes itself to the manufacture and processing of the typical products of the region of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. The company is only four years old but Maria Eugénia Torres has been making sugared almonds, cakes and jams for years. In December 2012, the sugared almonds won the Gold Medal at the “National Competition of Traditional Portuguese Fruit Confectionery”. It is said that the almond tree was the only tree that managed to deceive the devil. He was feeling hungry as he was crossing the region, saw a tree in blossom in March and, thinking …

Monchique. She calls it Jelly of Love and Jam for Lovers. A small jar holds 250 grams and costs four euros. The mixture is at once wonderfully sweet and spicy, with piri-piri chilli. Two versions, two flavours, both with 60% fruit and 40% sugar, one with red forest fruits and the other with lemon and almonds. Maria Julia Inácio harvests the fruit in her own garden and the nearby uplands of the Algarve: handmade jams, a few hundred jars a year. Once they’re sold, that’s that. Julinha is 43, and she works for the local town hall, where she drives …