Wines
The wines of Chaves
We have proof of wine being cultivated in the area of
Chaves since ancient times, demonstrated by the presence of
wine presses carved out of the rocks. The highest
concentration of these is found in Santo Estêvão, with
others in São Lourenço, Outeiro Seco and
Vilela. However, the valley and its slopes produce
enough wine for a Cooperative Winery to have been operating
in Chaves for many years, which sells the region’s wine,
renowned for the whites and reds from the vineyards in
Santo Estêvão. The history of wine production and trade in
Chaves can be seen in the Adega do Faustino, a restored
winery with an attractive roof that now functions as a
restaurant.
The wines of Monterrei
In 1996, the Regional Ministry of Agriculture
recognized the Monterrei Designation of Origin,
comprised of a number of pioneering wineries.
Despite their recent appearance, the wines of
Monterrei have already become firmly established in
markets in Galicia and further afield. References
to the region’s wine have appeared in specialist
and general magazines, winning numerous awards and
even competing with other Spanish and foreign wines
with a much longer tradition. Their presence in
gastronomic events and the fact that some have
received the Galicia Calidade (Galicia Quality)
seal are a sure sign that they have become firmly
consolidated. The oldest evidence of wine and
vines in the area was found in Mourazos, on a Roman
sculpture of the god Dionysus and the satyr
Ampelus, both of whom were associated with the
production and enthusiastic consumption of
wine. Today, there are 3,000 hectares of
vineyards in the area, of which 720 hectares are
under the protection of the Designation of Origin,
with more than six hundred producers and
twenty-five wineries with a production of close to
one million bottles, made from two million kilos of
grapes, of which 65% are white and the remaining
35% are red.
