The best starting point to discover the history and culture of Pico wine is, of course, the Wine Museum, in Madalena. Installed in an old wine-growing property, the former convent house was transformed into a museum space holding an important collection within its old infrastructure, namely, the warehouse, the still and the press. The magnificent view here gives us a little glimpse of what will be awaiting us in the peculiar Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture in Criação Velha.
Heading on, we follow a walking trail along Lajido da Criação Velha, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, and one of the places where it is possible to appreciate the true landscape of the Pico vineyards, marked by an extensive network of stone walls forming the so-called “currais”, also known as “curraletas", which protect the vineyards from the sea breeze, standing in the background of this unforgettable landscape.
We make a stop in the iconic Moinho do Frade, an old windmill and a point of interest you definitely cannot miss, from where we can contemplate the glorious work of the Azoreans' ancestors.
Up next, we suggest choosing between the following options:
• A visit to the Pico Island Wine Cooperative (CVIP) – Picowines, founded in the end of 1949, where you can take a tour of the recovered stone walls (currais), in the area of Lajido da Criação Velha and Lajido de Santa Luzia, and taste local wines and regional products on the premises. Here you can understand the various wine-growing processes in one of the most “noble” zones in the history of Pico wine.
• A visit and wine tasting in Adega Pico wine tours, right in the heart of Criação Velha, in a privileged place where nature speaks for itself: the sea nearby, Pico Mountain in the horizon, and a small, picturesque old house, marking the start of a "mantle" of stone walls, spreading out as far as the eye can see. Here, you can have an intimate and welcoming experience, talking to the owner and producer José Costa, who learned from local elders everything there is to know about the art of maintaining the vineyards and how to produce this very unique wine.
• A visit and wine tasting in Adega do Vulcão,, where you can learn about the story that led these Italian owners to settle between Faial and Pico, and contribute to the safeguarding of the azorean winemaking traditions, by restoring old stone walls and building a small winery in São Mateus. They invite you to come enjoy a tasting of their unique wines and local products, with an incredible view over the vineyards and the sea in the horizon… an experience not to miss!
