Vila Real

This clam-shaped Portuguese delicacy is made with a puff pastry shell that is filled with a unique mixture of minced veal, bread, and onions. The tradition of preparing pastel de Chaves dates back to 1862, and according to a popular legend, the first person to sell these unique pastries was Teres... Read more

Folar de Chaves is a traditional stuffed bread. It is made with leavened dough that incorporates a hefty amount of eggs, lard or butter, and olive oil. The fillings may vary, but they usually include cured or smoked pork products such as presunto (ham), sliced sausages, or bacon. The bre... Read more

This traditional Portuguese Easter bread consists of flour, eggs, and local Trás-os-Montes olive oil. It is traditionally filled with various pork products such as pork meat, bacon, sausages, ham, or shredded pork shoulder. Folar was first mentioned in print in 1959, and in 2016 it has bee... Read more

With a history dating back to the 15th century, this sausage delicacy was invented by the Jewish community in Portugal. When given the choice between converting to Christianity or being expelled from the country, the Portuguese Jews opted for the latter, but decided to keep practicing Judaism in ... Read more

Tripas aos molhos is a traditional offal dish originating from the Vila Real area. Although there are variations, the dish is usually made with a combination of veal tripe, ham, parsley, onions, white wine, olive oil, salt, paprika, and hot peppers. The tripe is washed and cleaned, cut into squar... Read more

This horseshoe-shaped sausage is made with meat and lard coming from Bísaro breed of pigs. Ground pork is mixed with wine, garlic, salt, powdered chili pepper, and paprika, and it is then stuffed into a thin sausage casing before being smoked for 10 to 15 days. The finished sausag... Read more

The long history of the Barroso ham is linked to the local Bisaro-Transmontano pig, a traditionally-bred breed that has been of key importance to communities in the area for centuries. Barroso ham is a smoked meat specialty with a specific flavor arising from the animals' diet o... Read more

This beef is obtained from Maronesa cattle, which are characterized by their short stature and typical black color. This breed of cattle is raised in the Portuguese districts of Vila Real and Braga using a mixed system of husbandry that takes place both in stables and in pastures. The m... Read more

Several factors make this pumpkin chorizo truly unique – the geographical area in which it is produced, the local breed of pig used in the process, the quality of the local pumpkins, and the traditional smoking process. This pumpkin chorizo is a sausage made with pork meat and locally-grown... Read more

Barroso-Montalegre salpicão sausage is a smoked sausage made from pork of the Bísaro breed of pigs or crossbreeds of the Bísaro pig. It originates from the Montalegre region in the northern Portuguese district of Vila Real. The climate of Montalegre... Read more

Barroso-Montalegre blood sausage is a regional traditional specialty made with bread, smoked meat, lard, and blood from the Bísaro breed of pigs or their crossbreeds. The history of this blood sausage is rooted in the tradition of pig farming in the municipality of Vila Real. The ... Read more

This is fresh lamb meat taken from the Churra Galega, Bordaleira de Entre Douro, and Minho breeds of sheep grown in the district of Vila Real in Portugal. Barroso lamb has a great reputation, and it is also traditionally used as a form of payment or a gift on s... Read more

Harvested from apiaries in the northwestern Portuguese district of Vila Real, Barroso heather honey is produced by the Spanish bee, a Western honey bee subspecies native to the Iberian Peninsula that forages for nectar in the extraordinarily abundant Barroso highlands. Mel de Barroso is ... Read more

This meat is taken from Serrana goats raised in the districts of Vila Real and Bragança. These animals graze on wild meadow grasses, herbs, and trees such as poplar, ash, and elm. This special diet contributes to the unique flavor of this meat. Serrana goats are also know... Read more

This meat is taken from Bravia and Serrana breeds of goat raised in the meadows of the Vila Real district, where they graze on the wild herbs and grasses that give the meat its acclaimed, unique flavor. These goats also serve as the main source of milk for the local population. ... Read more

This is a Churra breed lamb raised in the districts of Vila Real, Bragança, Viseu, and Guarda. These sheep are used in the production of milk, meat, and wool. Flocks of Terra Quente consist of 150-200 sheep, and they are usually sent to pasture on meadows and in the mountains, whe... Read more

This meat is taken from cows raised in Terras do Barroso. The cows are raised using traditional methods, and they are left to graze on wild grasses, herbs, straw, and hay, which is reflected in the flavor of the meat. Carne de Bovino Cruzado dos Lameiros do Barroso beef is extremely tend... Read more

Port is a fortified wine that has its origins in the Duoro Valley. It is produced from various grape varieties, though Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca, and Tinta Cão are considered the best for the red port, while Viozinho, Rabigato, Arinto, Cedega,... Read more

Tawny is a variety of fortified port that is usually oak-aged for around seven years (Reserva), but vintages may extend to ten, twenty, and even over forty years of age. These fortified red wines are praised for their complex aromatic profile as well as their rich and smooth texture. Usu... Read more

White port is a fortified wine made just like red port—by adding brandy during fermentation—but using white grapes instead of red. The blend most commonly includes native varieties such as Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Códega, and Rabigato, and it comes as a dry and sweet w... Read more

Vintage Port is a style made from the best grapes of a single year harvest. It is considered the most prestigious and the highest quality port style. Vintage is not produced every year, but only when port houses decide that the wine is of sufficient quality. Vintages make only about 2% o... Read more

Ruby is the most common and the freshest style of fortified port wines. Made from various red grapes, Ruby ports are usually aged for three years, typically in steel or concrete tanks, and are considered to be an approachable introduction to more complex port wines. As the name suggests,... Read more

Touriga Franca, also known as Touriga Francesa, is one of the most planted grape varieties in Portugal. It is used in the production of varietal wines, but it is mostly known as one of the quintessential grapes in red Douro blends and Port wines. Although it is often cited as less presti... Read more

Late Bottled Vintage port is produced from a single year, and it is bottled after four to six years of age. Due to the slightly longer aging period, this style is more affordable than Vintage port, and it can be enjoyed immediately after it is released, though it can also be suitable for... Read more

Colheita is a type of Tawny port made with single-harvest grapes. They have to be aged for at least seven years, though most producers opt for longer barrel maturation and decide to bottle it when the wine is ready and considered of sufficient quality. During wood maturation, the wine wi... Read more

Often dubbed as Vintage port’s little brother, Single Quinta Vintage is a type of port made from the grapes of a single harvest that come from a single estate (quinta). They are produced in the same way as Vintage port—not filtered and aged for up to three years —typica... Read more