The Stately Winery

Our next stop was a short walk away from the town park, the Jose Maria da Fonseca Winery, which was founded in 1834.  They no longer make the wine on premises, but they age it there.  The first winery we went to on the tour was the new, hip place.  This one was a contrast, as it was old and traditional.

By the way, both were equally interesting, and we enjoyed the wines at each place.  

There were some of the original equipment still on display, including a device that allowed the filling of four bottles at once, thus quadrupling the speed of filling, as well as a device to cork bottles one at a time.

Carol hit it off with the young woman leading the tour, mostly by asking many good questions.  I focused on taking pictures.  (Editor's Note: Was that an intentional pun or just lucky?  Writer: Oh, put a cork in it.)

After the tour there was another tasting. . .we weren't convinced we would stay awake on the drive back to Lisbon.

And, yes, more pictures of wine barrels:

The "Fill Four Bottles At Once"

means was a significant step

up in efficiency.

Pretty garden spaces behind the winery.

I'm six foot tall, and the barrels tower over me.

Though dark, this is the locked room that

contains the oldest wines the winery still

has.  If memory serves the oldest barrel

has wine from the 1850s!

Rows on rows.