Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture

Welcome to the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stands as a testament to the extraordinary ingenuity of the human spirit in the face of a hostile environment. As we stand here on…

As we walk deeper into the vineyards, notice the meticulous construction of the 'currais.' These are small rectangular plots enclosed by walls roughly one meter high, built entirely of loose basalt stones without mortar. If these…

Observe the orientation of the paths we are walking on. These long, straight lanes are called 'canadas,' and they are typically oriented from the sea toward the land. …

The story of these vineyards began in the 15th century with Christian monks, likely Franciscans, who sought to produce wine for the celebration of the Mass. They experimented with several varieties before finding success with the…

Dotted throughout the landscape are the 'adegas' (wine cellars) and larger manor houses, often built from the same dark volcanic rock as the vineyard walls. The adegas are functional structures where the grapes were pressed in…

In a landscape dominated by porous rock, fresh water is a rare commodity. To survive, the inhabitants of Pico dug 'tidal wells' along the coast. …

In the mid-19th century, this thriving culture faced a catastrophic decline. Two 'suckers,' as the locals call them—the Phylloxera pest and the Oidium fungus—devastated the vineyards. …

Our journey through the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture concludes here, where the black stone meets the blue Atlantic. We have explored the geometry of the 'currais,' the history of the Verdelho grape, and the…