Arquivo de Wine - Eco Local Tours Porto

Have you ever tried organic olive oil?

At 73 Rua Ferreira Borges in downtown Porto, you’ll find Fábrica do Azeite, which showcases organic olive oil from Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. The main attraction is a compact mill that allows visitors to see how olives are transformed into “green gold”. This immersive experience takes about an hour and provides insight into the fascinating world of olive growing.

Fábrica do Azeite exclusively offers organic and certified products, aiming to highlight olive oil as a key crop in the region’s economy. In addition to olive oil, the shop also features regional delicacies from Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, including cheeses, sausages, honey, dried fruit, jams, and wines.

At Fábrica do Azeite, “Acushla” olive oil takes center stage. The store offers a wide range of unique flavors, mainly from Trás-os-Montes and the Douro, along with other regions in the country. Visitors can sample and purchase these high-quality products.

In the heart of the store, there’s a communal wooden table that can accommodate up to fourteen guests. Here, visitors can enjoy tastings of our olive oils paired with delicious organic bread. The staff also prepares freshly made delicacies, providing each visitor with an outstanding and personalized experience.

Additionally, Fábrica do Azeite offers a sustainable line of clothing made from 100% organic cotton. The clothing is produced using natural techniques, including dyes made from food waste and activewear produced from by-products such as onion skins or olive pomace. This results in the “Barrio Santo” brand, which offers comfortable leisurewear and activewear free of synthetic compounds and chemicals.

(All photos courtesy of Fábrica do Azeite)

If you want to have this amazing experience combined with our tour, please click here.

12/06/2024 Featured Post

Porto and the Port Wine

Posted by ecolocaladmin

Some say port was invented by British merchants looking to replace French claret, wich was boycotted during wars with France in the 17th century. By adding a little brandy to the local red Douro, they found the wine sufficiently fortified to withstand temperature changes and long sea voyages. It also produced a fresh sweet flavour that deepened with age.

Whoever invented it, port was a big hit with the British and became “as British as roast beef”.

The Meathuen Treaty of 1703 opened English markets to Portuguese wines and the British shippers of Porto became increasingly rich and powerful. The next 30 years saw an unprecedented expansion of trade in the Upper Douro and in 1727 a Shippers’ Association was established to regulate the trade and control prices paid to the Portuguese producers. The growth of trade gave rise to the famous port wine lodges spread over the hills of Vila Nova de Gaia.

To combat the English stranglehold, the King of Portugal’s Chief Minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Mello, later the Marquês de Pombal, founded the Douro Wine Company (Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro) in 1757 witch restored a measure of Portuguese control.

The Douro Valley became the world´s first wine region with legal demarcation and Porto and its region a main engine room of Portuguese expansion and commerce.

13/02/2023 Featured Post