Before the dam's construction, the Alqueva region was home to vast plains, olive groves, and small villages. The most significant loss was the village of Luz, which was completely submerged by the lake. In an unprecedented effort, its 2000 residents were relocated to New Luz, an entirely reconstructed village maintaining the architecture and spirit of the original. The Museu da Luz tells the story of this transition and preserves the memory of the lost village.

Plans to dam the Guadiana river were hatched in the 1950s by Salazar's fascist Estado Novo Dictatorship, with political and business interests in hydroelectric power. The plan would not only provide electricity but also supply the increasing demand for water available for agriculture.

The region’s history dates back thousands of years, with evidence of Neolithic, Roman, and Moorish occupation. The megalithic monuments scattered across the area reflect the significance of the land long before the dam was built.

Cromeleque do Xerez

When is a stone circle not a stone circle? When it's the Cromeleque do Xerez. This curious megalithic monument is square-shaped and dates back about 5000 years. The 50 or so stones are short compared to other megalithic monuments in the area, standing just one a metre. In the centre, a larger menhir stands four metres tall. Its phallic shape hints the site was used in fertility rituals. Its true alignment has been lost after the whole monument was relocated after the construction of the massive Alqueva dam in 2004.
Rua da Orada, 7200-173, Monsaraz, Portugal. |   38° 27' 12.3" N | 07° 22' 15.4" W

The Reguengos Wine Sub-Region

The largest and most prestigious Alentejo sub-region has its roots in antiquity and is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the Alentejo. However, wine production as a major local commodity didn't emerge until the end of the 19th century. A commission of important landowners was formed by Manuel Augusto Mendes Papança to purchase large areas of land owned by the crown and divided into small landholdings distributed across the population. This initiative led to the planting of nearly a million vines, precipitating a prodigious development of wine production in only five years. This system of small fragmented vineyards helped to preserve local grape varieties from the scourge of phylloxera in the late 19th century.

The terroir consists of a stony terrain filled with rocky outcrops that make the Reguengos countryside so dramatic. Schist soils and markedly continental climate of freezing winters and boiling summers govern vine growing, yielding full-bodied and powerful wines with good cellaring potential. Over recent decades the area has witnessed international recognition spawning a number of oenotourism opportunities for visitors. Consequently, the Reguengos Sub-Region was nominated the European Wine Capital of 2015.

Herdade do Esporão

Herdade do Esporão was established in 1267. Within its grounds, there are three historic monuments: a medieval Tower (Torre do Esporão), the Esporão Arch and the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Chapel. The Esporão Tower is a demonstration of military defiance and is one of the most important towers in the region. It appears on Esporão wine labels.

The winery was bought in 1973 by Joaquim Bandeira and Dr José Alfredo Parreira Holtreman Roquette. They started an ambitious winemaking venture with a major investment and innovation whilst launching new products other than wine, such as high-quality olive oils, cheese and vinegar. Herdade do Esporão have been a leader in local wine tourism and have created the infrastructure for visitors to enjoy a fascinating visit of the estate, the historic monuments, the vineyards and the impressive cellars. Learn the secrets of wine production with a guided tour of the wineries and the impressive cellars buried 17 metres below the ground where special wines are kept. The tours end in the Wine Bar and put your senses to the test with a wine tasting!
Wine Tours: Monday – Saturday: 10h30 – 19h00, Restaurant: 12h00 – 17h30, Wine Bar: 12h00 – 19h00
31 Herdade do Esporão Apartado, 7200-999 Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal.
38° 23' 55.0" N | 07° 32' 45.9" W
+351 268 891 660 | reservas@esporao.com | Website

Adega do Calisto

In the early 1980s, the Calisto family acquired the Quinta da Várzea vineyard northwest of Reguengos de Monsaraz and set about establishing their own brand. Extensive replanting took place using only the best strains of local grape varieties and the vinification machinery was modernised. With passionate consideration Calisto is able to take advantage of the best of both traditional and contemporary wine production methods, as well as excellent environmental attributes, to achieve excellent results. By appointment, it's possible to experience this achievement and sample the end product.
Daily: 09h00 – 19h00
13 Rua da Fonte, 7200 Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal. | 38° 26' 10.3" N | 07° 32' 28.6" W
+351 266 502 627 | gvcrm@sapo.pt

CARMIM

In 1971 the CARMIM cooperative was started by sixty wine growers and has grown exponentially into Portugal's most successful, respected and loved wine producer. The quality of the raw materials, deriving from the Reguengos de Monsaraz region is a winning component for this Cooperative, as is the human capital and an 80,000m2 agro-industrial complex endowed with state-of-the-art technology. There is a reception capacity for one million two hundred thousand kilos of grapes per day, bottling of fifteen thousand bottles per hour and storage of up to thirty-two million litres, making CARMIM the largest winery in the Alentejo and also one of the biggest in the country!

Today CARMIM currently has around a thousand members and produces 24 wine labels from whites to reds, from young wines to reserves, not to forget rosés and sparkling wines. CARMIM also produces olive oils of recognised quality. Visits are by appointment only.
Weekdays: 08h30 – 12h30/14h00 – 17h30
Rua Professor Mota Pinto (Estrada para Monsaraz), Edifício Administrativo - Apartado 3 7200-999 Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal. | 38° 25' 30.9" N | 07° 32' 03.9" W
+351 266 508 200 | info@carmim.eu | Website