You might know, I spent time with my daughter last week. Last year we managed to celebrate my birthday together, culminating in a rather lovely wine tour. Happy to repeat the experience, if not the exact event, I searched for somewhere to wander through a vine or two. Morgado do Quintáo, not far from Silves, provided the very place.
Following Google Maps, we thought we had the vineyard nicely pinned, but entry was not quite so simple. Eventually we decided on some blue gates at the rear of the property, and a friendly voice over the intercom told us we were in the right place. We followed a rough trail round to the farmhouse, and were delighted to find that we had company for the sampling. An Irish couple and 2 young folk from Norway were waiting beneath the 2,000 year old olive tree. Moments later our hostess joined us, and the tasting began.
We were sampling 3 wines, cultivated from ancient vines of Crato Branco and Negra Mole. The vineyard was being brought to life, after years of neglect, with careful nurturing. A wonderful spread of petiscos (nibbles) accompanied our wines, including bread, meats, local cheese, honey and delicious plum chutney. The small businesses help each other out, more than happy to share their fine produce. We chatted amongst ourselves, sharing our stories with each sip of wine, alongside the history of the grape. An affectionate retriever made eyes at my daughter, when the owner wasn’t looking. Just a morsel of meat? So hard to resist.
The wind was a little chill beneath the olive tree and I took myself off to play around with the flamingos bobbing on the pool, until it was time for the vineyard tour. I love the russets of the vines at this time of year, the harvest safely stored.
It’s not a large enterprise, but they are hopeful that the business will grow. If enthusiasm reaps rewards, they should do well. The old farmhouse hides a wealth of antique machinery, and a wardrobe that seems to invite entry, for surely Narnia must be beyond those doors?
I gleefully acquired the last jar of plum chutney in the low key sales pitch afterwards. Next year they will host their first wedding. Already there is guest accommodation on site. So easy to relax here with a good glass of wine. I hope you enjoyed the experience.
Not too much walking this week, but I can always offer you great company. As we drove off, the retriever lolloped alongside of us, his tail a golden plume in the setting sun. I think we made a friend.
Many thanks to all of you who stroll with me on a Monday, or any other day. Feel free to join me here with a walk of your own, or simply enjoy the walks I share. Details are over on my Jo’s Monday walk page.
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Let’s start with a very special walk with my Australian friend, Miriam. Please do read and share :
Janet is back from a break. Guess where?
Monday walk… in a French forest (again)
There are some good-looking cities around, and Lady Lee has enjoyed many :
Candy shares a less well-known but beautiful city, too :
Parks, walls and squares in Leon
Can you have too much of a good thing? Jackie has her own view :
Meanwhile, Drake can always make something out of nothing. It’s a skillset!
If you want to walk in the Lake District, Tea Bee will be your willing guide :
Hike to Haystacks, Lake District, Cumbria
And if you’re thinking of doing the Camino, Cathy has very many experiences to share :
(Camino day 39) Trabadelo to O’Cebreiro
(Camino day 40) O’Cebreiro to Triacastela
A man after my own heart, Andrew- not to mention his lovely wife :
Travels in Portugal, A Wild River and a Cliff Top Walk in Odeceixa
And what can I say about Meg- my perfect companion :
Walks around home : October (Part 1)
Or Margaret, busy squirreling away for the winter :
(Almost) all is safely gathered in….
There are some places that simply weave a spell. Share one with Ann Christine :
Thursday Thoughts – Tbilisi, A Feast for the Eye
That’s all for another week. I hope you have a good one. P.S No cakes today! They’re all here.
restlessjo 
Thank you for sharing my article. It is so interesting to see how they make wine.
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You’re very welcome. Thanks for joining me 🤗💕
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What a fun way to spend the day with your daughter Jo and is beautiful surroundings. Best wishes to them for a long and successful business in the future.
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It’s a lovely little business, Carol. I kind of wistfully imagined James getting married here one day 🙂 🙂
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The flamingos on the pool made me smile. What a lovely occasion to share with your daughter.
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We had a lovely last day together, Elaine 🙂 🙂 A smiley one!
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What a delightful low-key occasion you discovered. It looks like the perfect place to celebrate your birthday. Had to giggle at the flamingos.
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I know! Such fun chasing them up and down the pool 🙂 🙂
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This sounds absolutely delightful!
Alison
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We had a lovely last day together, Alison.
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What a lovely place for an early birthday treat, Jo. I love the sound of those nibbles. The pink flamingoes add a very girlie touch to the venue. 😃
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I think flamingos may be taking over the world, Ad, but I really don’t mind. They can’t do a worse job, can they? 🙂 🙂
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You’re so right, Jo. 😳
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it was SOOOOOOO wonderful to view this late last night at home – after several hours of working on a painting on the floor… and then resting my back and reading off line what had loaded when i went to dinner earlier in the evening. Oh my, wouldn’t a student love to try to diagram that ‘sentence’ of a thought!
i’m now writing from the museum where a horrible unending ‘buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’ alarm was going until just now….
now it’s time to scroll back through your images and return to that serene state…. may your next trip around the sun be filled with bright happy pink flamingos that balance against lovely glasses of vino rojo and vistas hermosas!
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What a fabulous outing! Though my heart always goes out to the designated driver. Happy birthday when it comes.
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I wasn’t familiar with the Portuguese word morgado. The Collins Dictionary gives three translations: heir; eldest son; entailed estate. Quintão seems to be the name of the place where the vineyard is located.
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Exactly, Steve. If you look at the website it confirms this 🙂 🙂 Thanks for your company.
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A magical birthday outing for you, Jo … especially with your daughter! The lunch out reminds me of paintings from olden days and is so idyllic. I’m sure they will do well, especially since the owners are thinking of so many various sidelines to the vinery such as the accommodation!
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It’s a lovely old property, Annika, and they are full of enthusiasm and ideas. A very nice place for a celebration 🙂 🙂
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Hope I haven’t missed your birthday Jo?! Looks a wonderful place to celebrate – I love supporting small local businesses like this. What a lovely ambience in such a gorgeous setting and I love your daughter’s new “friend” – how could you resist those eyes? Glad you managed to get hold of some plum chutney and the wines sound delicious too 🙂
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Hi Rosemay 🙂 No worries- birthday isn’t till next week but Lisa won’t be here so we celebrated early 🙂 🙂
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This looks and sounds so lovely and I really enjoyed the photos and all the charming visuals. I can’t drink much wine, even though I love it, as it gives me headaches, but I would so go for a jar of plum chutney too.
Funny how there is a current craze on of plastic pink flamingoes in pools 🙂
Peta
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Is there? I was amazed to find them in this location, Peta, though you do find larger models at the beach. The breeze was blowing them up and down the pool, which kept me amused for quite a while. 🙂 🙂
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I love to visit wineries, and it’s very clear that this was a wonderful environment to visit! And how lovely to have shared the experience with your daughter, Jo. Happy memories!
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They really enjoyed the wine tasting last year, Debbie, and it seemed a good way to end their visit here. Yes- very happy, thanks 🙂 🙂
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OK, I saw pink flamingo floats in a pool, and before reading anything, thought you were in Las Vegas or Florida. 🙂 🙂 🙂
It looks like a lovely location and fantastic wine tasting event. I wish I were there, Jo.
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I didn’t know it was a trend, Draco, but they were irresistible to play with around the pool. 🙂 🙂 Just a hint of breeze and off they bobbed.
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Not sure if it’s a trend, but “toy pink flamingoes” conjure those places in my mind. 🙂
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A walk with your wobbly boot on?? 🙂 Mel
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Two wobbly boots, Mel 🙂 🙂
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To be sure, to be sure… 😉
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Two be sure, two be sure 🙂
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Too clever… or two clever??
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Two idiots! 2 of a kind 🙂 🙂
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😉
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These photos are lovely, Jo. And the old machinery is absolutely FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for including them in the collage. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Hannah! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂 🙂
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Now this looks like my sort of place, a swimming pool and a fabulous olive tree and a vineyard! Well, maybe not the vineyard they are a lot of work! Looks as though you all had a lovely time. Your daughter being the glamorous one as usual 🙂
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It’s what she does best, but she’s multi-talented. 🙂 🙂 Even wins over the dogs!
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Don’t those pink flamingoes look fantastic in the pool? Such a change from yellow ducks. And who would have thought how stunning a pale blue door could look in a whitewashed wall. I’m more used to seeing dark coloured doors on these whitewashed cottages. I was walking the Arras battlefields last week but unfortunately, those walks don’t make a good ‘Monday walk’ as the terrain is pretty barren and bare, often over huge fields with nothing but end of season sugar-beet and bails of wheat, and never a cafe in sight for a cuppa or a piece of cake. We usually take a picnic with us which we have at a cemetery when we reach one! Thoroughly enjoyable, of course, and a refresher course in history. I shall be posting bits about it in due course, but not as a walk.
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Hi Mari 🙂 🙂 I’ve never done battlefields. All those young men…! I’d far rather be sharing a drink with them, but life can be very cruel. I’m often reminded how very lucky I am.
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Yes, there is a terrible sadness about the battlefields, especially in France where there are so many, but I’ve always loved military history (never ancient battles though) and I used to run a course on the Prose and Poetry of Wars from WWl to Vietnam for the WEA so my interest is ongoing. Arras is not well visited as most people choose to visit the Somme and Passchendaele, perhaps because it is more connected with Britain, but the French lost over 30,000 at Arras.
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