Aqua Wine Fest has established itself as a leading event and has recorded its best edition yet
The fourth edition of the Aqua Wine Fest confirmed the sustained growth of what is already one of the most significant events promoting the Alto Tâmega and Barroso region. Held between 4 and 6 June at Alameda do Tabolado in Chaves, this festival brought together 22 wine producers and three water companies from the region, as well as many tourists and visitors, making it the best edition yet and exceeding all expectations.
Over the three days of the event, several thousand people visited the venue, taking part in wine and water tastings, enjoying musical entertainment and a varied programme designed to showcase two of the region’s most distinctive resources.
The opening session took place on 4 June at 5.30 pm, featuring speeches by Nuno Vaz, Mayor of Chaves, Fátima Fernandes, President of the Alto Tâmega and Barroso Intermunicipal Community (CIMAT), Ana Alves, President of the Trás-os-Montes Regional Wine Commission (CVRTM), and Paulo Raimundo, Vice-President of the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N).
In their speeches, the officials present emphasised the growing importance of the Aqua Wine Fest as a key initiative for promoting the Alto Tâmega and Barroso region, highlighting the event’s ability to showcase some of the territory’s most important local resources and to enhance its appeal to an increasingly diverse audience.
The importance of this festival for wine producers and water companies was also highlighted, as it provides a unique opportunity for direct contact with consumers, visitors and potential partners. The speakers also highlighted the role of the Aqua Wine Fest in boosting the local economy, promoting the region and creating new opportunities to showcase the region’s products and brands, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the identity and competitiveness of Alto Tâmega and Barroso.
It should also be noted that the mayors of the other municipalities in the region were also present at the event: Boticas, Ribeira de Pena, Valpaços and Vila Pouca de Aguiar. Over the three days of the event, visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with producers, discover new wines, (re)discover the region’s various waters and purchase these local products, in an intimate setting that helped promote the brands present and create new business opportunities.
The strong public turnout also confirmed the event’s growing reputation, which has been steadily gaining ground among residents, domestic visitors and foreign tourists. The high number of visitors over the three days created a very positive dynamic for the participating producers and the local economy, contributing to the promotion and visibility of the region’s products.
Wines from the region that have gained significant international recognition
Ramiro Gonçalves, Executive Secretary of CIMAT, was also a regular presence throughout the three days, and the event’s outcome could not have been better: “This was, without a doubt, the best one yet. We are delighted that Alto Tâmega and Barroso are able to host initiatives of this kind, which this year included not only this Aqua Wine Fest, but also the Portugal Wine Trophy, one of the world’s largest wine competitions. We are promoting our local heritage and making our region increasingly competitive. We are delighted for the thousands of people who were here and also for the experiences that local producers had with world-renowned wine experts.”
Between 5 and 7 June, Chaves also hosted the Portugal Wine Trophy, one of the most prestigious international wine competitions, held this year for the first time in the Trás-os-Montes region, with Chaves being the city chosen to host the event. Over these three days, around 1,200 wines were assessed, including 120 from Trás-os-Montes, highlighting the excellence and diversity of a wine-producing region with a unique identity and growing national and international recognition. The competition, organised by DWM – Deutsche Wein Marketing, brought together 53 tasters from 14 countries in one of the world’s most demanding and exclusive wine competitions, featuring wines from 35 countries, helping to put Trás-os-Montes on the global map and establish the region as a destination of excellence for wine lovers.
Of the 346 medals awarded in this international competition, four wines from the Trás-os-Montes region were awarded Grand Gold medals; 38 wines from the region received Gold medals; and ten of the Trás-os-Montes wines entered in the competition were awarded Silver medals.
You can view all the results at the following link: https://results.wine-trophy.com/es?sf=trophy_name:Portugal%20Wine%20Trophy&sortField=medal_rank&sortOrder=0&sf=trophy_year:2026
Three days of great celebration of the region’s wines and waters
The overall assessment of the entire weekend is, therefore, extremely positive. The 2026 edition of the Aqua Wine Fest was marked by high public attendance, the quality of the products on offer and the increased profile of the event, factors which consolidate this event as a distinctive initiative in the promotion of the wines and waters of the Alto Tâmega and Barroso regions.
It should be noted that the Aqua Wine Fest is an initiative promoted by CIMAT, in partnership with the Municipality of Chaves and CVRTM.
View all the photos from the event at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/visitaltotamegaebarroso/posts/pfbid02TUcz1qKB4TYozaza5JCoUPz5B6qZSj6MbEMUZmwDn9mD3EgwXUb9j82J1a7gn7i1l
