Following a pick-up from your accommodation in Lisbon, we cross our “Golden Gate” bridge, heading south to Palmela/Poceirão, leaving the city behind for a scenic landscape of grape vines and farm fields.

To talk about the history of Filipe Palhoça Vinhos, is to talk about a story of love of the vine inherited from father to son. It all began in 1950, when Filipe Jorge Palhoça founded this family business dedicated to wine production in the Setúbal Peninsula, with its roots in a small winery belonging to his father, João Loureiro Palhoça. The winery is located in the Palmela region, more specifically in the Poceirão area, right in the heart of the Setúbal Peninsula wine-growing region. In total, they currently have 112 hectares of vineyards spread over 11 properties located in Poceirão, Fernando Pó and Marateca. Come and discover their wines.

For your lunch, we will go to a local family-owned restaurant owned by a fisherman and his family, located in the Poceirao region. There you will have the chance to delight in local fresh fish from the region. They also have other options to offer, no worries… Note that we might use another local restaurant, in case this one will not be available.

This winery was established in 1920 by Leonilde Freitas. Later continued by her granddaughter, Germana Freitas, and then by her great-granddaughter, Ermelinda Freitas, to whom Casa Ermelinda Freitas owes its name. With the premature death of her husband, Ermelinda Freitas continued to run the company with her daughter, Leonor Freitas, who took over, giving the characteristic of the brand, being one of the few wineries in Portugal that always had female leadership. The soil of this vineyard, located in the south of Lisbon, is composed of sands very similar to beach sands and is very rich in water, playing an important role in the ripening of the grapes. The surrounding breeze from the rivers (Tejo and Sado) cools the vines during the dry summers, giving the wines their softness and elegance. It is in these sandy soils that Castelão thrives. The characteristic varietal of the Setúbal Peninsula makes up 40% of Casa Ermelinda Freitas' vineyards