The 2023 Wine City Challenge announced its winners, with Quinta da Penina’s Negra Mole earning a gold medal.

The municipality of Lagoa congratulated wine producer Quinta da Penina on the gold medal its Quinta da Penina – Negra Mole wine was awarded at the 2023 Wine City Challenge. The event’s third edition was hosted at the Wine Museum in São João da Pesqueira in the Douro region between May 5 and 7, and its results were revealed last Thursday, May 11.

According to the Lagoa Municipality, “this prize demonstrates, once again, the excellent work wine producers and the Algarve Winery Commission (CVA) are doing, producing quality wines that are increasingly recognised and receiving awards.”

“I want to congratulate Quinta da Penina, producer of the Lagoa municipality, for the award it received,” said Luís Encarnação, Mayor of Lagoa, the host city of the event’s first edition in 2021.

The mayor also took the opportunity to congratulate Algarve producer Herdade Barranco do Vale on the two medals it received.

The Quinta da Penina – Negra Mole is made with the Algarve’s emblematic native grape variety, which is exclusive to the region. This red grape variety, which produces light-bodied reds best served chilled, is the second oldest Portuguese grape variety.

Jointly organised by the Wine Routes of Portugal Association and the Portuguese Wine Municipalities Association (AMPV), the Wine City Challenge was created to promote wines associated with its territory. In each edition, municipalities collaborate with local wine producers to collectively promote the wines of their region.