Wine tips in Lisbon – 13 wines you can order without hesitation

Doesn’t matter if it’s lunch or dinner, wine is an essential part of the meal. That is no different in Lisbon than it is in the rest of Portugal. And in Lisbon, wine obviously means Portuguese wine. Everything from their own grapes, and we totally understand.

WIjntips in Portugal: deze wijnen koop je blind

Red and white

We are talking about classic red or white, but of course a glass of port wine after a meal is also possible. Or a chilled Moscatel de Setúbal with some lemon zest as a refresher on a sunny afternoon.

Wine plays an essential role in daily life in Portugal. It is seen as the first necessity of life. That is why VAT on wine is in the middle segment: 13%, compared to the standard 23%.

That’s why wine is so cheap!

That is also an important reason why wine in Portugal is usually so cheap: in the average supermarket like Continente you can find a decent bottle of Alentejo wine for under €2 (£1,75). If you get closer to €4, or £3,50, it is almost without exception a pretty spectacular bottle! Perfect to take to the beach, or to your hotel room!

Tip: make sure you have a corkscrew with you when you go to Lisbon! Screw caps are very practical, but in Portugal they are very protective of their own cork production, so practically every bottle is corked.

That doesn’t only apply in the supermarkets. Wine is usually very affordable in bars and restaurants as well! You can reasonably assume that you get a whole bottle on the table for less than € 8 (£7). In smaller restaurants, prices of around € 5 are also no exception.

Large or small bottle

You can often opt for half bottles, of 0.375 liters. Just as tasty and often almost half the price. Ideal for two good glasses, so if you want to be active after lunch, order a small bottle.

Tip: didn’t finish the bottle during dinner? Just take it with you afterwards! The average resident of Lisbon does that too, so why not you?

We’ve tried a lot of wines in Lisbon. If you see one of the bottles below on the menu in a restaurant or on the shelves of a supermarket, you can buy it blindly as far as we’re concerned!

Saúde!

Our tips: Red wines

Monte Velho (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £3.50 / Restaurant: £6-11
Adega de Pegões (Setúbal) → Supermarket: £1.60 / Restaurant: £5-9
Lusitano (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £4.50 / Restaurant ???
Adega de Borba (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £2.99 / Restaurant: £6-11 (often also as 0.375l for £4-8)
Loios (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £2.69 / Restaurant: € ???
Senhor d’Adraga (Lisboa) → Supermarket: £4.49 / Restaurant: £10-15
Casa Ermelinda (Setúbal) → Supermarket: £2.59 / Restaurant: £6-11
Grandes Quintas (Douro) → Supermarket: £6.29 / Restaurant: £12-17
Kopke (Douro) → Supermarket: £5.49 / Restaurant: £10-15
Dom Martinho (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £3.29 / Restaurant: £7-12 (often also as 0.375l for £5-9)

Our tips: White wines

Guadeloupe Branco (Alentejo) → Supermarket: £3.99 / Restaurant: £8-12
Portal de Minho (Vinho Verde) → Supermarket: £2.29 / Restaurant: £6-11
Quinta da Aveleda (Vinho Verde) → Supermarket: £3.99 / Restaurant £9-14

(Supermarket prices and restaurant prices *)
* These are target prices from September 2018. Current prices can be different. Check for example Continente, where they always have at least 5 wines as Promoções with a Continente Cartao, the Continente loyalty card.

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