Trás-os-Montes - Where Wine Is Born from Stone

For a long time, the Trás-os-Montes region was seen as a distant land, geographically remote and, in many ways, overlooked on the map of Portuguese wine. Yet, a conversation with a few local producers quickly reveals that this apparent distance actually hides one of the country’s strongest identities.

Photo courtesy of CVRTM

In Trás-os-Montes, everything seems to happen more genuinely. The landscape, the agriculture, the local products and, of course, the wines. More than techniques or trends, what you feel here is a deep connection between the land and its people. Perhaps that’s why Miguel Andrade described the region so simply and accurately: “up there, where swallows build their nests.” An image that says a great deal about the intimate relationship between nature, tradition, and rural life that still defines this territory.

A Territory That Remains True to Itself

The Trás-os-Montes Regional Wine Commission (CVRTM) was established in 1997 and today includes 110 registered economic operators. The region covers 9,000 hectares of vineyards, spread across three distinct sub-regions: Chaves, Valpaços, and Planalto Mirandês. From here come quality wines entitled to the Trás-os-Montes Denomination of Origin (DOC) and the Transmontano Regional (or IGP) designation.

It is, in fact, a relatively young designation within Portugal’s demarcated wine regions, yet its viticultural history is anything but recent. Wine has been part of life in these lands and among its people for centuries.

During a tasting I recently attended, organized by CVRTM, someone summed up the essence of the region perfectly: “People from Trás-os-Montes are known for being stubborn.” I believe it is precisely this stubbornness that preserved traditions, knowledge, and agricultural practices that have disappeared elsewhere. And it is why this territory maintains such a distinctive identity.

The Richness of an Agricultural Territory

Talking about wine in Trás-os-Montes, as in all of Portugal, inevitably means talking about food. Here, wine never appears alone. It is part of a table where products deeply rooted in the land come together: cheese, bread, olive oil, cured meats, chestnuts, almonds, and even figs.

Among the many examples, I will highlight two perfect companions for a glass of wine - cheese and bread.

Portugal’s cheesemaking tradition currently includes eleven cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP in Portuguese), some of which survive with extremely small production volumes. In Trás-os-Montes, we find the following DOP cheeses: Terrincho and Cabra Transmontano, the only Portuguese DOP cheese made exclusively from goat’s milk.

Unfortunately, only about 3% of cheese consumed in Portugal carries DOP status. For this reason, it is important that we, as consumers, learn to ask for these cheeses by name and look for the orange seal that certifies their authenticity.

The second Transmontano product worth highlighting is rye bread, particularly associated with the soils of the Bragança region, considered ideal for growing this cereal. It is dense, aromatic bread with a strong presence at the table.

In 2024, Elisabete Ferreira (Pão de Gimonde) was named World Baker of the Year by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners (UIBC). According to the Pão de Gimonde website, she is “the first woman to receive this global distinction, recognized for preserving traditional techniques and promoting artisanal breadmaking.” Anyone who has tasted these breads will have no doubt.

Other emblematic products of the region also deserve mention: traditional Bísaro pork cured meats, extra virgin olive oils (among the most awarded in Portugal) as well as chestnuts, almonds, and figs.

It is no coincidence that Trás-os-Montes brings together more than twenty products certified with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) or Protected Geographical Indication (IGP in Portuguese), a clear expression of the gastronomic diversity that defines this territory.

A Remarkable Viticultural Heritage

If gastronomy impresses, viticulture is no less remarkable. Trás-os-Montes preserves an extraordinary viticultural heritage, closely linked to the presence of old vines. In many plots, vines coexist for decades, sometimes more than a century, in a mosaic of grape varieties that tells the story of the region.

Among these vineyards, rare and lesser-known varieties can still be found, such as Tinta Gorda, Moscatel Vermelho, Bastardo Russo, and Mourisco Semente. This genetic heritage is particularly valuable at a time when many wines tend toward stylistic uniformity.

Perhaps the most fascinating element of the region’s winemaking history is literally carved into the landscape. Across Trás-os-Montes, rock-cut wine presses, known as Lagares Rupestres are found carved directly into granite. These structures were used to crush grapes and collect their juice. In the municipality of Valpaços alone, more than one hundred of these presses have been identified, and across the region, the number exceeds 180.

When researchers first began studying them, many questions emerged. Why were they outdoors? Why were they so small? Today, many believe these presses may date back to medieval times, although the debate remains open.

What is better understood is how they worked. Grapes were crushed in a shallow basin, the grape mass pressed in a second section (when present), and the juice flowed into a small tank carved into the stone. From there, it would be transferred to another location, likely into skins or wooden vessels, where fermentation would take place.

This method fits into a very ancient tradition. For much of wine history, winemaking took place using open-run systems, in which fermentation occurred without contact with skins, stems, or seeds. This was the model used in Mediterranean winemaking since antiquity.

The Revival of Rock-Cut Wine Presses

For centuries, these rock-cut presses remained archaeological traces scattered across the Transmontano landscape. More recently, however, some producers decided to bring them back into use.

In 2020, authorization was requested from the Portuguese Institute of Vine and Wine (IVV), which granted approval. The goal is not to recreate “perfect” wines according to modern standards, nor wines designed for competitions. Instead, the ambition is to rewrite history by recovering an authentic style.

Today, specific regulations allow the production of wines labeled Vinho de Lagar Rupestre, certified as Regional Transmontano. Among the rules are the use of grapes from old vines, at least forty years old and minimal winemaking intervention, allowing only grapes and sulfur dioxide.

Because these presses are privately owned, any CVRTM economic operator may use them, provided the owner grants permission. The producer simply needs to notify CVRTM fifteen days before harvest, specifying which rock-cut press will be used.

Rediscovering Trás-os-Montes

Perhaps the greatest charm of Trás-os-Montes lies precisely in this authenticity. At a time when many regions adapt to global market trends, here a strong connection to roots remains.

Wine is born in the vineyard, but also from rye bread, olive oil, cheese, and cured meats that form part of everyday life. Old vines preserve diversity, rock-cut presses reconnect us with history, and the people maintain a direct relationship with the land.

Ultimately, understanding the wines of Trás-os-Montes means understanding something greater. It means recognizing that wine is not just a beverage or an agricultural product. It is a cultural expression deeply connected to landscape and community. In Trás-os-Montes, wine is not only born from the land. Sometimes, it is born from stone.