Adega Cooperativa do Algarve

The Algarve wine region was demarcated in 1980 in the area corresponding to the total boundaries of the region itself. The history of the organisation of Algarve wines has its starting point with the then called Algarve Regional Winegrowing Commission (Comissão Vitivinícola Regional Algarvia), which began its activity in 1994, in a complex process in which the newly constituted farms and entities were faced with a severely unprotected sector that was being abandoned. At the time, only the wines entitled to the Denomination of Controlled Origin of Lagos Portimão, Lagoa and Tavira were certified. Alongside this situation, the Adegas Cooperativas in the Algarve also experienced economic and financial difficulties which culminated in the closure of Adega Cooperativa de Tavira (1992) and Adega Cooperativa de Portimão (1997). Later on, the Adega Cooperativa de Lagos and the Adega Cooperativa de Lagoa merged, giving rise to ÚNICA – Adega Cooperativa do Algarve. From 1998 onwards, the Commission set about improving and rejuvenating the winegrowing structures in the region, which led to the renovation of around 400 hectares of vineyards throughout the Algarve by 2005.