Novemberannual, 11 November at 3pm, Sao Martinho's dayone afternoonVidigueira and Cuba
Every 11 November at 3pm, participating talha wineries across Vidigueira and Cuba open that year's clay vessels at the same hour, a coordinated ritual built around Sao Martinho's day that turns the region's oldest winemaking method into a single shared afternoon of tastings.
Host: Participating adegas of Vidigueira and Cuba
Tip: Pick one village and stay put; every adega taps its talha at the same hour, so you cannot hop between more than one before the moment passes.
Novemberannual, mid-Novemberabout a weekBorba
Borba has celebrated its Festa da Vinha e do Vinho since 1991, filling the marble-quarrying town with tastings of Borba DOC wines, regional gastronomy, live music and street entertainment across a week each November.
Host: Camara Municipal de Borba
Tip: Borba's own cooperative and its marble-clad streets are worth the trip even outside festival week, but the town is liveliest during the fair itself.
Decemberannual, first weekend of December3 daysVila de Frades, Vidigueira
Known as the Baquicas Festivities, VITIFRADES is Vila de Frades' long-running talha wine fair, now in its twenties-plus edition, with workshops, a hiking route through the vineyards, showcookings and a trail through the parish's own talha wineries.
Host: Junta de Freguesia de Vila de Frades and the Municipality of Vidigueira
Tip: The producer-winery trail is the highlight; small Vila de Frades adegas not normally open to visitors take part only on the festival weekend.
Mayannual, late May2 daysPraca do Giraldo, Evora
The Alentejo's largest wine festival brings more than 40 producers and 200 wines to Evora's UNESCO World Heritage main square for a weekend of tastings, show cooking and live music dedicated to the region's wine identity.
Host: Camara Municipal de Evora
Tip: The square gets busy by early evening on the Saturday; go at midday for room to actually talk with the producers pouring their own wines.
Novemberannual, throughout November1 monthVidigueira
The Vidigueira cooperative's traditional Wine Month runs tastings, gastronomic pairings and producer showcases of talha and DOC Alentejo wines across the whole of November, tying together the harvest's end and the Sao Martinho talha openings.
Host: Adega Cooperativa de Vidigueira, Cuba e Alvito
Tip: Check the cooperative's programme for individual tasting dates; the events are spread across the month rather than concentrated on one weekend.
