Adega Mayor: Amazing Winery in Portugal That I Adore

A Tribute To An Extraordinary Man

Manuel Rui Azinhais Nabeiro is a man I adore, and I’m going to tell you why. Few men ever know the true impact they have had on others. This is for posterity. He was a native of Campo Maior, in the upper Alentejo, and born into a humble family on 28 March 1931. From an early age he learned to deal with adversity. He began working at the age of 12, helping his mother in a small grocery store. He helped his father and uncles roast coffee at a time when the harmful effects of the Spanish Civil War were being felt. Through hard work he became a billionaire, and I was able to reap the rewards of his hard work.

Adega Mayor

Adega Mayor is a wondrous winery in the Alentejo region of Portugal, in the town of Campo Mayor, and honored to have a connection to Manuel, as I am.

I visited Adega Mayor, while researching the Alentejo region of Portugal, from arriving after lunch to departing in the evening. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had the tour of a lifetime planned for my visit. Arrival at the winery had that one lonesome cork tree on the hill, standing firm and tall, yet embracing breezes. It opens your senses in so many ways, from sights to sounds of winemaking. Aromas from the wines and the delicious flavors in their restaurant, and touch objects along the way.

 

Welcome Mat On The Wall

This was an important opening statement, “If We All Wanted It The World Would Be Wonderful… The World Would Be Extraordinary.” Some of us dream of utopia, in the emergence of a growing dystopian society. I’m cheering for this saying, and off we went.

The Tour Began ~ Winery

Along the way, I envisioned this as a video, so yeah, I caught it, knowing it was a valuable learning moment I had never seen. I didn’t want to forget how this job is performed, on large-format bottles being labeled. It takes precision from really steady hands.

From Here Into Production

Rounding a corner, we stepped into a state-of-the-art winery, with the pride of its founder still glistening. When it’s this pristine, it’s obviously well cared for and going to be an experience long remembered. A dream of the winery was conceived by Manuel Rui Azinhais Nabeiro. Manuel Rui was passionate about both winemaking and his homeland in Campo Maior, Portugal. The winery was inaugurated in 2007. This visionary had many years to enjoy it before passing on March 19, 2023, at the age of 91.

Tank Sample Tasting

The group I was with was provided a tank sample of wine that was aging. I realize this is a privilege. It’s like walking into a garden where Monet was creating. I see delicious wines as art; they’re not for every day, or while just writing stories. They’re for special occasions, and if I had a glass of Adega Mayor’s Pinot Noir right now, I’d sip it like it was liquid gold. See my T-shirt? It perfectly expresses my sentiment.

Joyful Teams

Being in rock and roll radio for 10 years with WBLM in Portland, Maine, was really exciting. Then, segueing into wine was equally thrilling. I still have to pinch myself on occasion, as I did when I was photographing rock stars. You see one is metaphorical (rock stars – solid) and the other is geological (wine – liquid). Echoes of music float into the atmosphere in wine cellars, soothing souls as they create nectar of the gods. I didn’t realize what a natural segue it would become, physically and metaphorically.

Art And Wine, Both Solid and Liquid

There is a symbiosis between art and wine, like no other connection in life. People who visit wineries come away feeling more confident in their beverage choices. Is it possible that the United States has made its wines so expensive that they’ve pushed out a younger, curious demographic? Adega Mayor has touches of art throughout the winery, and it imparts a continued curiosity as I went from one place to the next.

The Rooftop And Celebrating

I was taken to the rooftop of Adega Mayor, so I could not only witness extraordinary views, but also to sip and savor some sparkling wine. It was very exciting to see how their cork trees are part of the landscape in the distance.

Along the roadways in the Alentejo appellation, oak trees are everywhere, and the trees that have a layer of cork are used as bottle closures. The cork farmers let the layer that becomes cork grow for nine years, and then it’s harvested.

From The Rooftop To Indoor Tasting

Seriously, the Adega Major wines were all delicious. It’s hard for me to talk about flavors at this point. I was busy tasting and taking images of bottles. If only I had another pair of hands! There’s also this person inside of me who knows better than most that taste is a very personal thing. My father never understood why I didn’t like every single food dish put before me, because I’m a super palate, and he wasn’t. He thought if he liked it, I should. Too many taste buds happen to some of us, ergo flavors that are beyond mild can be very off-putting.

Although I didn’t take copious notes, I can, however, address the richness of the wines’ flavors, because attention to detail was in the wines’ quality and flavors. I highly recommend trying these Adega Mayor wines as really delicious and well-crafted. This was evident both within and outside of the bottles, and you owe it to yourself to discover all of it.on your own. Your palate is unique, and you’re developing your own tapestry. Trust yourself.

Food And Wine Pairing At Adega Major

We had toured and tasted, and by now it was time for a food pairing, so we were led to their food and wine tasting area.

A Wines And Tapas Segue

Cheers To An Eventful Day

 

But Wait! There’s More!

We thought we were leaving, but we were led into the most exciting land of all! Surprise, surprise, surprise.

 

 

 

 

The Thrill Of It All

Had we been there for the entire day, my notes might have been more comprehensive. It was an explosion of concepts. Going back – which I wanted to do this year – became impossible; however, I’d really like to return. If I didn’t take images, I’d also have more text, but it’s important to understand that when I read National Geographic magazines as a child, it was the images that excited me. Pictures in my mind are still worth 1,000 words. And here was a classic example to life to the fullest. Wine, food, people, landscapes, oddities, wines… did I mention wines?

Adega Mayor Was Stupendous

My trip to Adega Mayor, I can only say great things about it, because it was the opportunity of a lifetime, which I will remember into infinity. Without Manuel Nabeiro, it’s very possible I would never have been there, but I was, and so I’m eternally grateful.

Thank you, Manuel Rui Azinhais Nabeiro. You have affected so many lives, in spite of the struggles as a child. You were able to overcome into such a success, and having that generous spirit. My grandfather also had to work really hard through child labor in the United States at eight years old. He, too, wanted to make the world a better place for those less fortunate. What you dreamed of making the world for other peoples’ dreams delivered a beautiful string of pearls to me. I’m so honored.

 

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Written by Jo Diaz, a partner of Diaz Communications, who is helping to make stars realize their dreams. Edited by partner Jose Diaz. To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz: jo@diaz-communications.com