Region & History

In the mountains of the Algarve, Medronho was long one of three sources of income for the local population, alongside goat's cheese and honey. This refers to Aguardente de Medronho, a strawberry-tree brandy made from the fruit of the Medronheiro, as the strawberry tree is called in Portuguese.

Its home is the Serra de Monchique and the Serra do Caldeirão, two mountain ranges in the hinterland of the coast, where the shrub grows wild on barren soils. Among the places of harvest and distillation, the literature names Marmelete and São Marcos da Serra. In Marmelete, the Casa do Medronho was established, a project that, according to press reports, aims to preserve the traditional craft and showcases a typical communal distillery where visitors can also taste the spirit.

Distilling has long taken place—and still does—on farms and in small distilleries in the mountain villages, many of which have since been renovated. Large-scale plantations did not exist until well into the 21st century. Farmers gathered the fruit by hand and processed it themselves, which is why good Medronho was for a long time not found in supermarkets but had to be sourced directly from the producer.

Since 1989, the name 'Medronho do Algarve' has been a protected geographical indication of the EU. Legally, the brandy counts as a fruit spirit of Category 9, and spirits regulations permit the short designation 'strawberry-tree fruit.' The addition 'do Algarve' is tied to origin. Control and certification lie with the Algarve's wine commission, the Comissão Vitivinícola do Algarve. According to press reports, ten producers joined forces to build up the brand.

The mountain forests are vulnerable in this respect. Wildfires in the Serra de Monchique have, according to local press reports, caused the harvest to drop by half on one occasion.