Monte da Casteleja

Monte da Casteleja sits a few minutes from Lagos, in Sargaçal, on land Guillaume Leroux inherited from his maternal grandfather in 1983. He returned to the family quinta in 1999 and planted three hectares of vines, choosing traditional Portuguese varieties over international ones. The estate makes organic white, red and rosé wines. Harvest follows old methods: grapes are picked by hand and some are still pressed by foot, in large wooden lagares, a practice the team describes as days of work and conviviality rather than a sentimental throwback. Wines are aged in wooden casks, a nod to what Monte da Casteleja calls the concept of 'vinho do produtor', wine made and bottled on the same property where the grapes grow. Visitors can book guided tours that walk through the vineyards, the cellar and the barrel room, ending with a tasting on the terrace. The quinta also runs an agroturismo with four room types (Apartamento Suite Azul, Quarto Verde, Quarto Branco and Quarto Vermelho), aimed at guests looking for a quiet stay away from the busier Algarve coast. A small shop on site sells the estate's wines, open weekday mornings and afternoons. The project has drawn attention from Portuguese and international press, including a feature in The Times, and from wine tourism platforms in the Algarve. Guillaume Leroux has also poured wines at cultural events in the region, including an exhibition opening in Vila do Bispo in 2026.