& we’re celebrating in true wine-lover fashion—with an unforgettable trip to Southern Portugal’s Alentejo region! From June 8-14, 2026, you’ll explore historic villages, world-class wineries, and incredible local cuisine—all with our President and Executive Winemaker, Anthony Aellen.
Come find out why Travel & Leisure Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and many others are falling in love with Portugal. With the UNESCO World Heritage town of Évora as a base for 6 nights, we will venture in all directions exploring the gastronomic and cultural treasures of the Alentejo. We will visit the fairytale walled village of Monsaraz, the marble town of Estremoz with its bustling Saturday market, a pre-historic megalith that pre-dates Stonehenge by 2,000 years, all the while discovering the wines and dishes that are putting Alentejo on the map.
Fala Português?
If you like, you can begin each morning with a fun informative half hour Portuguese lesson.
June 8th to 14th, 2026
$3500/ person
$250 off for Wine Club Members!
This trip includes:
Accommodations in a five-star hotel
Breakfast daily
Daily long lunch or dinner
Wine tastings – all, generally including tapas
Transportation to all scheduled events
All Admission and entrance fees
Please note: Price does not include Airfare, Airport transfer, or Trip insurance (if applicable)
Our private group bus will meet you at our pickup location in central Lisbon at 10am and to take us to Évora (approximately 1h20m minute ride).
Prior to lunch, we will visit the famous Bone Chapel of Évora. We will then wander the maze of narrow streets of Évora before arriving at our lunch destination.
Wine tasting & lunch: We will dine at one of our favorite restaurants in Évora. The family has been serving traditional Alentejo gastronomy for close to 40 years.
After lunch, we will visit the 800 year old Cathedral of Évora followed by the 1,800 year old Roman temple, before making our way to your hotel – a 5-star property located within the walls of the town.
Each evening you can enjoy the common areas of the hotel with its commanding view of the 16th century aqueduct or wander the streets of Évora.
Day 2 – Cork, the Montado & Portugal’s Stonehenge
Cultural stop over: You will learn why cork is such an incredible sustainable resource. We will visit a cork forest led by the always jovial, interesting Andreia. You will never look at a wine cork in the same way again!
Lunch & wine tasting: We will then stop at Senhor Daurindo’s for a super traditional Alentejo feast accompanied by some very local wines.
More culture: On the way back to our home base, we will stop by at the pre-historic megalith, Cromeleque dos Almendres: a stone circle that predates Stonehenge by 2000 years.
Day 3 – Portuguese Royalty & Howard’s Folly winery
Cultural stop: A guided visit to the royal summer palace in Vila Viçosa.
Wine tasting: Howard’s Folly. Funny name, serious wine. Lead winemaker David Baverstock is better known for running the wine operation at Esporão. But Howard’s Folly is a new, small venture by David’s good friend, Howard who lived for 30 years in Hong Kong.
Lunch: Innovative Chef Bernardo creates perfect dishes to pair with Howard’s wines.
Day 4 – Portugal’s Best Hilltop Village
Cultural stop over: the fairytale village of Monsaraz. One of the best-preserved villages in the country. If it were anywhere else, it would be mobbed with tourists year-round. We will stop in the pottery town of São Pedro do Corval along the way for some shopping.
Lunch: We will have a lovely lunch on the covered patio facing the lake and the Spanish frontier at good friend Joao’s family restaurant in Monsaraz.
Day 5 – Roman Villa & Quetzal Winery
Wine: Visit our friends at Quinta do Quetzal who love both art and wine. Our visit will be led by winery head, Reto Jorg.
Lunch: João Mourato, head chef at Quetzal, may receive a Michelin star one day. You will not believe he is only 28!!
Cultural highlight: the Roman Villa of São Cucufate has been standing for over 1,800 years.
Day 6 – The Estremoz Saturday Market and Monte Branco Winery
Cultural stop over: We will visit one of the oldest outdoor markets in Europe in the marble town of Estremoz.
Winery tasting: Owner, winemaker Luis Louro of Monte Branco was practically born into the wine business. Luis has strong opinions about winemaking and looks forward to sharing them with you. It also helps that his tasting area overs a glorious view of the countryside.
Lunch: We will have a lovely lunch in the barrel room while continuing to try some of the Monte Branco wines.
Day 7 – Boa Viagem
Early breakfast, check out and transfer back to Lisbon airport.
Most of you will be departing on a noon flight that day, therefore you will be leaving the Évora hotel at around 8 am.
If you are staying in the country, breakfast is at your leisure.
We can help you in booking transfers at other times and to different locations.
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS?
How much is the deposit?
A deposit of $1,000 per person guarantees your spot on the tour.
Here is the link for the payment of the deposit per person. You can adjust the quantity in the link (a couple should choose two): https://buy.stripe.com/7sI3epeJkfqd0GA28P
Payment for the balance of the trip should be made up to three months prior to the trip. Our primary concern is the exchange rate.
Do I have to update my passport?
Remember, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of the flight.
Can I go on the trip by myself?
Single travelers welcome. If you prefer a single room, additional charge is $600.
When should I book my flights?
The tour begins Monday at 10:00am. Please plan to arrive in Portugal at least the night prior, June 7th. All the flights to Portugal from the United States are overnight flights. There are daily direct flights to Lisbon from several destinations in the United States, including Washington Dulles.
On Sunday, we will leave Evora at 8:00 am and arrive in Lisbon at around 10:00 am. Our first stop will be the Lisbon airport followed by the city center. If you need transportation to a different destination and/or at a different time, we can coordinate the transport for you. The cost varies depending on distance.
What a remarkable 50 years it has been! We hope you join us and get ready to savor the finest wines, explore breathtaking vineyards, and immerse yourself in the rich traditions of winemaking.
