Of wine, eggs and castles

I was fortunate enough to be invited on a FAM trip by one of our travel clients the other week. Sunvil have opened up a new route to Portugal's relatively unexplored region of the Alentejo (no, I hadn't heard of it either): north of the Algarve and south of Lisbon, the Alentejo -- literally "the land beyond the river Tejo" -- is approximately one third of the entire land-mass of Portugal with something as silly as only six per cent of the country's population. The result is wide open countryside. A land of vinyards, olive groves, sunflower vistas and one of the most beautiful and beautifully empty coastlines in Europe.

Sunvil are the only UK tour operator to fly into the new airport of Beja, in the heart of the Alentejo. A perfect base for exploring, and explore one must: to the north, the landscape becomes more mountainous and rugged, with hill-top castles and craggy villages; further south the land opens to wide panaramas of vinyards and it's possible -- nay, you are encouraged -- to stop off and visit one of the many superb wineries the area has to offer. Most are small scale, boutique affairs, family owned and run. You can do the tour, taste the wine, and often dine overlooking the very vines and grapes of the wine you are drinking. At one winery you can even help with the harvest and the grape-treading, if you wish.

The food is good, solid and rustic, although there is a predeliction towards meat (a lot of pork) and sweet desserts. You will make close and intimate friends of egg desserts. The old convents must take responisbilty for these delights -- I guess there was little else to do? -- so expect to eat many variations of egg and sugar -- including one that was a kind of marzipan with the secret ingredient of rabbit (and yes I did try it and no, you couldn't taste it). The most famous and exported egg delight is the lovely little Natas custard tart. You can find them in the UK sure, but they're never quite the same as the ones in Portugal -- and especially as those from the home of the Natas: the Belem bakery in Lisbon, where the queues often stretch out of the door and the old ladies and gents sit happily sifting icing sugar and cinnamon upon the confectionary like there is no tomorrow. 

If you can,take my word and hunt down an Alentejo wine. I found one label at my local Tesco. It had dust on it. A bit like the region itself really: overlooked for years no doubt in favour of its louder and more obvious neighbours.

Go. Stay at one of the brilliant converted convents/castles from the Pousada people -- but it's our little secret, right?