Until the Middle Ages, the vine culture was just a small part of the total agricultural production in Alentejo.

From the 17th century onwards, it acquired another economic weight in the region and, by that time, Borba wine began to stand out thanks to its unique properties.

In the middle of the 18th century, Borba’s prosperity was entirely linked to wine, which also contributed to introducing the Enlightenment movement in the region visible even today in the architecture of some manor houses.

The signing of the Methuen Treaty was an important step to promote the quality of Portuguese wine. Since this agreement fixed the exemption of customs duties of Portuguese wines exports to England, their quality was enhanced when compared to the French ones.

On the other hand, from the 19th century onwards, there was a great technological innovation in the wine sector. If, until that moment clay pots were exclusively used in the wine-producing process, the Industrial Revolution led to the emergence of the first presses (in Borba: marble presses), squeezer, and other cellar equipment. It was also during this period that the first families started to embrace this culture, with a scale of production, in the logic of what would become the professional winemaker.

Currently Borba is the second largest sub-region in Alentejo, connecting different villages and towns as Estremoz, Terrugem, Orada, Vila Viçosa, Rio de Moinhos, and Alandroal. Both of them have unique soils and marble deposits that influenced the viticulture sector in Alentejo and the specificities of its wine.

The wide patches of red schist heterogeneously spread over poor and austere lands, turned Borba into one of the most dynamic sub-regions in Alentejo.

Besides, its special microclimate ensures slightly higher than average rainfall rates, as well as slightly lower levels of insolation, resulting in exclusive fresh and elegant wines.