Adega Beira-Mar was built in 1944 by António Bernardino da Silva Chitas Júnior, father of Paulo da Silva, on a plot of land located next to the road that connects Praia das Maças to Azenhas do Mar.
The author of the project was Arch. Manuel Joaquim Norte Júnior (1878-1962), the same as the Adega Visconde de Salreu, a few years earlier, in Colares.
The construction of the building was in charge of a mason from Fontanelas. It began with the cleaning of the land with the support of hackers who removed the stone, then used for the work.
The excavation of the area where the winery was implanted took some time, because during the week they could only count on the help of men, a cart and a donkey. Only on weekends they had a van that transported the wines from Colares to Lisbon.
In a first phase, the winery was built on hard floors, with a rectangular floor plan measuring about 15 meters in length, expanded by another 5 meters at the initiative of Paulo da Silva’s mother. As was customary at the time, bottles and money for the future were buried in one of the corners of the cellar.
The roof structure had the collaboration of Arnaldo Estrela, carpenter from Azenhas do Mar.
Subsequently, the vessel was assembled for storage and aging of the wines. Some of the barrels were acquired at the time and, in 1946, other barrels that had belonged to Paulo da Silva’s grandfather were installed there.
The winery was surrounded by vines with hard floors and sand protected by reeds. Paulo da Silva’s father came to buy these properties, gathering all these lands.
As the law of the time did not allow making new wine where old wine was stored, it was necessary to build a new area in the cellar destined exclusively for production.
The vats for making wine, which were previously abroad, moved to this space, where brandy was also stored in casks.
According to the law of the time, in addition to the wine in motion, it was mandatory to have a minimum storage capacity of 30,000 liters, later changing to 50,000 fixed liters (in the beginning it was 20,000 liters).
Over time, the configuration of Adega Beira-Mar has faced the challenges of the requirement of minimum reserves and a growing wine market.
In 1955, a new law was passed (nº 40,036, January 1955) that obliged wineries to increase the minimum stock from 50,000 to 100,000 fixed liters, as a reserve. The wineries had three years to comply with this guideline.
It was at that time that a new wing of the cellar was built, with wooden barrels, cement deposits and underground deposits.
Master Mário Faria, from Carreiras, Torres Vedras, was the one who built the deposits with an iron and cement structure.
In 1957, the cellar already had the capacity to store 100,000 liters.
Only later, the winery started to have piped water and a machine was purchased to wash the containers, which until then was done abroad with water brought from a fountain in Colares.
Then, at a fair in Versailles (Paris), Paulo da Silva bought another machine and two small carts to transport containers.
In the 1960s, part of the land adjacent to the winery was purchased to expand the existing storage area.
In 1965, a new law (nº 46,868) came to demand a further increase in the minimum stock from 200,000 to 300,000 fixed liters.
Later, Adega Beira-Mar also adapted to the changes that occurred with the revolution of April 1974, with an impact on changing policies regarding the production and storage of wines.
Considered a priority since always, the building and its interior have been preserved, as well as the old noble wood vats and the various wine deposits.
To improve conditions at the Garrafeira, divisions were created to separate red and white wines and their respective brands. Sections were individualized for the aging of Ramisco and Malvasia de Colares wines, specific to this region. Ramisco red wines require a minimum aging period of 18 months in wooden containers and 6 months in bottle. Malvasia white wines must be aged for 6 months in wooden containers and 3 months in bottle.
Also with a modernization perspective, in 2000, new wooden barrels and other equipment were acquired, which were placed in the second wing of the cellar.
In 2017, the roof structure was completely redone respecting the original design, with the aim of preserving the characteristic atmosphere of the winery.
The atmosphere of Adega Beira-Mar exudes its history and inspires a good wine connoisseur.
Vat No. 7
Barrel bought in Runa from António Lázaro Miranda, “a man who sold us vinegar and brandy”
Vats No. 3, 4, 5 and 6
Barrels purchased from a cellar in Grândola by Paulo da Silva's father in 1946.
There were five barrels, but one of them was used by the coopers to repair four that were in good condition.
Vat No. 2
Cask for white wine, in mahogany, bought at Rua Correia Teles, in Campo de Ourique from a coal dealer.
“The coal workers had barrels like these. They sold coal and next door they had a tavern, where they sold wines.”
“It's a beautiful barrel. It is a gem that is here.”
Vat No. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13
From the end of the 19th century, these barrels belonged to the cellar of António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, grandfather of Paulo da Silva. They were received by their father through shares between the heirs and the Society.
Office
Intended for administrative work, this space was not included in the initial phase of construction of the cellar. It was created at a later stage to respond to the needs of the wine sales movement at a national and international level.
Trench
Recess made in the stone floor to guide the exit of water from washing the vats.
Vat No. 1
The largest vat in the cellar, with a capacity of around 8000 liters, is intended for white wine. In mahogany, it was purchased at Moita dos Ferreiros. When it arrived at the cellar it had to be repaired. The oak woods were pressed on top with chestnut woods, the wood buckled and began to sag. Paulo da Silva went to Lisbon, to Poço do Bispo, to buy new mahogany staves and the coopers found this barrel.
The stone that makes up the cellar floor was purchased by Paulo da Silva’s father in Lisbon. It came from the terraces of the old buildings that were being torn down in the area where Praça de Espanha is today.
Area built right at the beginning of the cellar, in 1944, for the parking of bottles of red and white wines.
In this area, a set of dividers separate stacks of wine bottles by typology and by years. (ex: Colares 2010 / Colares 2012 / Colares white 2019 / Ribamar red 2016 / Paulo da Silva 2016)
Here the wine is horizontal, resting/staged, with the cork wet. In this way, the cork swells, sealing off the entry of oxygen, thus helping to ensure the quality of the wine.
Space for the sale of wine to the public.
Previously, it functioned as the Brandy Area and Production Area.
Underground deposits
In 1957, three underground tanks with around 20,000 liters each were built.
Vats No. 11 and 12
These barrels belonged to the winery of António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, grandfather of Paulo da Silva. They were received by their father through shares between the heirs and the Society.
Vats No. 7, 8, 9 and 10
These chestnut and mahogany wooden barrels had belonged to the Casa de Ludgero Gomes, in Almoçageme, and had later been delivered to Tirol. They came to Adega Beira Mar in exchange for wine.
Cement deposits
These cement deposits were built in 1957 by Mestre Mário Faria, from Carreiras, Torres Vedras.
Modern vats
Bought in 2020.
2500 liters
In 1957, three underground tanks with around 20,000 liters each were built.
At the beginning of the cellar, the vats and vats for making the wine were outside the building.
The bottles were also washed outside, next to a stone block, where the water brought from a fountain in Colares was kept.
The land surrounding Adega Beira-Mar has vines planted on sandy soil. These vineyards can be visited.
The quality of the wines depends on accurate laboratory work in a specific space.
In this room, meetings of wine connoisseurs and work meetings take place.
From your window, you can see the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, which marks so much the specificity of the region’s wines, and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe.
Adega Beira-Mar was built in 1944 by António Bernardino da Silva Chitas Júnior, father of Paulo da Silva, on a plot of land located next to the road that connects Praia das Maças to Azenhas do Mar.
The author of the project was Arch. Manuel Joaquim Norte Júnior (1878-1962), the same as the Adega Visconde de Salreu, a few years earlier, in Colares.
The construction of the building was in charge of a mason from Fontanelas. It began with the cleaning of the land with the support of hackers who removed the stone, then used for the work.
The excavation of the area where the winery was implanted took some time, because during the week they could only count on the help of men, a cart and a donkey. Only on weekends they had a van that transported the wines from Colares to Lisbon.
In a first phase, the winery was built on hard floors, with a rectangular floor plan measuring about 15 meters in length, expanded by another 5 meters at the initiative of Paulo da Silva’s mother. As was customary at the time, bottles and money for the future were buried in one of the corners of the cellar.
The roof structure had the collaboration of Arnaldo Estrela, carpenter from Azenhas do Mar.
Subsequently, the vessel was assembled for storage and aging of the wines. Some of the barrels were acquired at the time and, in 1946, other barrels that had belonged to Paulo da Silva’s grandfather were installed there.
The winery was surrounded by vines with hard floors and sand protected by reeds. Paulo da Silva’s father came to buy these properties, gathering all these lands.
As the law of the time did not allow making new wine where old wine was stored, it was necessary to build a new area in the cellar destined exclusively for production.
The vats for making wine, which were previously abroad, moved to this space, where brandy was also stored in casks.
According to the law of the time, in addition to the wine in motion, it was mandatory to have a minimum storage capacity of 30,000 liters, later changing to 50,000 fixed liters (in the beginning it was 20,000 liters).
Over time, the configuration of Adega Beira-Mar has faced the challenges of the requirement of minimum reserves and a growing wine market.
In 1955, a new law was passed (nº 40,036, January 1955) that obliged wineries to increase the minimum stock from 50,000 to 100,000 fixed liters, as a reserve. The wineries had three years to comply with this guideline.
It was at that time that a new wing of the cellar was built, with wooden barrels, cement deposits and underground deposits.
Master Mário Faria, from Carreiras, Torres Vedras, was the one who built the deposits with an iron and cement structure.
In 1957, the cellar already had the capacity to store 100,000 liters.
Only later, the winery started to have piped water and a machine was purchased to wash the containers, which until then was done abroad with water brought from a fountain in Colares.
Then, at a fair in Versailles (Paris), Paulo da Silva bought another machine and two small carts to transport containers.
In the 1960s, part of the land adjacent to the winery was purchased to expand the existing storage area.
In 1965, a new law (nº 40.868) came to demand a further increase in the minimum stock from 100,000 to 300,000 fixed liters.
Later, Adega Beira-Mar also adapted to the changes that occurred with the revolution of April 1974, with an impact on changing policies regarding the production and storage of wines.
Considered a priority since always, the building and its interior have been preserved, as well as the old noble wood vats and the various wine deposits.
To improve conditions at the Garrafeira, divisions were created to separate red and white wines and their respective brands. Sections were individualized for the aging of Ramisco and Malvasia de Colares wines, specific to this region. Ramisco red wines require a minimum aging period of 18 months in wooden containers and 6 months in bottle. Malvasia white wines must be aged for 6 months in wooden containers and 3 months in bottle.
Also with a modernization perspective, in 2000, new wooden barrels and other equipment were acquired, which were placed in the second wing of the cellar.
In the year ?, the roof structure was completely redone respecting the original design, with the aim of preserving the characteristic atmosphere of the cellar.
The atmosphere of Adega Beira-Mar exudes its history and inspires a good wine connoisseur.
In the 1960s, part of the land adjacent to the winery was purchased to expand the existing storage area.
In 1965, a new law (nº 46,868) came to demand a further increase in the minimum stock from 200,000 to 300,000 fixed liters.
Later, Adega Beira-Mar also adapted to the changes that occurred with the revolution of April 1974, with an impact on changing policies regarding the production and storage of wines.
Considered a priority since always, the building and its interior have been preserved, as well as the old noble wood vats and the various wine deposits.
To improve conditions at the Garrafeira, divisions were created to separate red and white wines and their respective brands. Sections were individualized for the aging of Ramisco and Malvasia de Colares wines, specific to this region. Ramisco red wines require a minimum aging period of 18 months in wooden containers and 6 months in bottle. Malvasia white wines must be aged for 6 months in wooden containers and 3 months in bottle.
Also with a modernization perspective, in 2000, new wooden barrels and other equipment were acquired, which were placed in the second wing of the cellar.
In 2017, the roof structure was completely redone respecting the original design, with the aim of preserving the characteristic atmosphere of the winery.
The atmosphere of Adega Beira-Mar exudes its history and inspires a good wine connoisseur.
The stone that makes up the cellar floor was purchased by Paulo da Silva’s father in Lisbon. It came from the terraces of the old buildings that were being torn down in the area where Praça de Espanha is today.
Area built right at the beginning of the cellar, in 1944, for the parking of bottles of red and white wines.
In this area, a set of dividers separate stacks of wine bottles by typology and by years. (ex: Colares 2010 / Colares 2012 / Colares white 2019 / Ribamar red 2016 / Paulo da Silva 2016)
Here the wine is horizontal, resting/staged, with the cork wet. In this way, the cork swells, sealing off the entry of oxygen, thus helping to ensure the quality of the wine.
Area built right at the beginning of the cellar, in 1944, for the parking of bottles of red and white wines.
In this area, a set of dividers separate stacks of wine bottles by typology and by years. (ex: Colares 2010 / Colares 2012 / Colares white 2019 / Ribamar red 2016 / Paulo da Silva 2016)
Here the wine is horizontal, resting/staged, with the cork wet. In this way, the cork swells, sealing off the entry of oxygen, thus helping to ensure the quality of the wine.
In 1957, three underground tanks with around 20,000 liters each were built.
At the beginning of the cellar, the vats and vats for making the wine were outside the building.
The bottles were also washed outside, next to a stone block, where the water brought from a fountain in Colares was kept.
The land surrounding Adega Beira-Mar has vines planted on sandy soil. These vineyards can be visited.
The quality of the wines depends on accurate laboratory work in a specific space.
In this room, meetings of wine connoisseurs and work meetings take place.
From your window, you can see the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, which marks so much the specificity of the region’s wines, and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe.
Tonel comprado em Runa a António Lázaro Miranda, “um homem que nos vendia o vinagre e a aguardente”
O maior tonel da adega, com capacidade para cerca de 8000 litros, é destinado a vinho branco. Em mogno, foi comprado na Moita dos Ferreiros. Quando chegou à adega teve de ser reparado. As madeiras de carvalho foram apertadas em cima com outras de castanho, a madeira vergou e começou a entornar. Paulo da Silva foi a Lisboa, ao Poço do Bispo, comprar aduelas novas em mogno e os tanoeiros arranjaram este tonel.
Tonel para vinho branco, em mogno, comprado na Rua Correia Teles, em Campo de Ourique a um carvoeiro.
“Os carvoeiros tinham tonéis destes. Vendiam carvão e ao lado tinham uma taberna, onde se vendiam vinhos.”
“É um belíssimo tonel. É uma jóia que está aqui.”
Tonéis comprados a uma adega de Grândola pelo pai de Paulo da Silva em 1946.
Eram cinco tonéis, mas um deles foi aproveitado pelos tanoeiros para reparar quatro que estavam em boas condições.
De finais do século XIX, estes tonéis pertenciam à adega de António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, avô de Paulo da Silva. Foram recebidos pelo seu pai por partilhas entre os herdeiros e a Sociedade.
Destinado a trabalhos administrativos, este espaço não estava contemplado na fase inicial de construção da adega. Foi criado numa fase posterior para responder às necessidades do movimento de vendas do vinho a nível nacional e internacional.
Reentrância feita no chão de pedra para orientar a saída da água da lavagem dos tonéis.
Comprados em 2020.
2500 litros
Estes depósitos em cimento foram construídos, em 1957, pelo Mestre Mário Faria, de Carreiras, Torres Vedras.
Em 1957, foram construídos três depósitos subterrâneos com cerca de 20.000 litros cada um.
Estes tonéis em madeira de castanho e mogno tinham pertencido à Casa de Ludgero Gomes, em Almoçageme, e que depois tinham sido entregues ao Tirol. Vieram para a Adega Beira Mar em troca de vinho.
Estes tonéis pertenciam à adega de António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, avô de Paulo da Silva. Foram recebidos pelo seu pai por partilhas entre os herdeiros e a Sociedade.
Vat bought in Runa from António Lázaro Miranda, “a man who sold us vinegar and brandy”
The largest vat in the cellar, with a capacity of around 8000 liters, is intended for white wine. In mahogany, it was purchased at Moita dos Ferreiros. When it arrived at the cellar it had to be repaired. The oak woods were pressed on top with chestnut woods, the wood buckled and began to sag. Paulo da Silva went to Lisbon, to Poço do Bispo, to buy new mahogany staves and the coopers found this barrel.
Vat for white wine, in mahogany, bought at Rua Correia Teles, in Campo de Ourique from a coal dealer.
“The coal workers had barrels like these. They sold coal and next door they had a tavern, where they sold wines.”
“It’s a beautiful Vat. It’s a gem that’s here.”
Vats purchased from a cellar in Grândola by Paulo da Silva’s father in 1946.
There were five barrels, but one of them was used by the coopers to repair four that were in good condition.
From the end of the 19th century, these barrels belonged to the cellar of António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, grandfather of Paulo da Silva. They were received by their father through shares between the heirs and the Society.
Intended for administrative work, this space was not included in the initial phase of construction of the cellar. It was created at a later stage to respond to the needs of the wine sales movement at a national and international level.
Recess made in the stone floor to guide the exit of water from washing the vats.
Bought in 2020.
2500 liters
These cement deposits were built in 1957 by Mestre Mário Faria, from Carreiras, Torres Vedras.
In 1957, three underground tanks with around 20,000 liters each were built.
These chestnut and mahogany wooden barrels had belonged to the Casa de Ludgero Gomes, in Almoçageme, and had later been delivered to Tirol. They came to Adega Beira Mar in exchange for wine.
These barrels belonged to the winery of António Bernardino da Silva Chitas, grandfather of Paulo da Silva. They were received by their father through shares between the heirs and the Society.
