'PROVE Wine & Cheese': event opens in Coimbra from 20 to 22 June
- Wines from Bairrada, Beira Interior and Dão; PDO cheeses from Beira Baixa, Rabaçal and Serra da Estrela
- Event aims to promote and enhance PDO/DOC/PGI products produced in the Central Region
With the aim of promoting ‘flavours that tell stories’, the cloisters of the Convento de São Francisco in Coimbra will host the 1st edition of “PROVE Wine & Cheese”.
The event takes place over three days, giving you the chance to savour the products of the dozens of exhibitors. There are around thirty wine producers from the Bairrada, Beira Interior and Dão regions expected to attend, along with two dozen cheese producers, all of whom have been awarded the three PDOs in the Centre of Portugal: Beira Baixa, Rabaçal and Serra da Estrela.
As the name suggests, there is a strong appeal for tasting, and the educational aspect will stand out, starting with direct interaction with the producers, who can explain production processes, the history of the products, the particularities of each region, as well as the challenges of the business. Through “PROVE Wine & Cheese”, the aim is to draw attention to and raise awareness of the importance of the origin of products. At the event, all the wines and cheeses will be labelled with a quality guarantee and a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Controlled Designation of Origin (DOC) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This is particularly important as it helps to attract people to low-density areas such as the regions in question, boosting the local economy. The public will also be able to learn in three Wine & Cheese masterclasses: the first, dedicated to Serra da Estrela cheese, takes place on Friday at 18.00, with Saturday reserved for Beira Baixa cheese at 14.00 and Rabaçal cheese at 17.00. The wines are not segmented and each session features a selection from Bairrada, Beira Interior and Dão.
There will be five bread stands, six snack bar structures with a gastronomic display from each CIM, as well as a sunset with a performance by DJ RFM on Saturday 21st at 18:00. The initiative is free to attend, but tasting the products requires the purchase of a “PROVE Vinho & Queijo” kit, consisting of a wine glass and a board, worth €8.00. The masterclasses cost €10.00 and enrolment takes place at the event. Note that this is an initiative with direct sales of some products.
Wine and cheese: more than food products, they are pillars of Portuguese DNA
Wine and cheese are more than just food products, they are pillars of our identity. They represent the hard work and ancestral wisdom of generations who have moulded the regions' landscape and palate. Valuing them is more than appreciating their unique flavours, it's recognising the living heritage they carry, the livelihood of our communities and the authenticity that sets us apart. Oenogastronomic meetings play a crucial role in valorising and promoting the culture and heritage of the regions. More than a leisure event, they are dynamic platforms that allow producers and consumers to connect directly, fostering local commerce and boosting the economy, but also food literacy.
PROVE Wine & Cheese aims to promote products, supporting and encouraging producers and their local economies, as well as boosting tourism and cultural exchange. But it goes further: resulting from inter-municipal co-operation and born in a collaborative environment of six Intermunicipal Communities (CIM) - of the Coimbra Region; of Viseu Dão Lafões; of the Beiras and Serra da Estrela Region; of Beira Baixa; Região de Leiria and Região de Aveiro - and the programmes for the Economic Enhancement of Endogenous Resources (PROVERE) - Cheese from the Centre of Portugal (under the leadership of Inovcluster) and the Wine Sector of the Wine Regions of the Centre / CONVICENTRO Consortium (under the leadership of the Bairrada Wine Commission)*, PROVE Vinho & Queijo is a ‘tool’ for strengthening territorial cohesion and valorising the enogastronomic heritage in a network, resulting in an event with a clearly more attractive and educational offer for the public and consumers.
This event is organised by the aforementioned entities and has the support of the Centro Regional Tourism Authority and Coimbra City Council. The inaugural edition of “PROVE Vinho & Queijo” will be held at the Convento São Francisco, a Convention Bureau centre, which is an impressive setting and excellent for hosting events with national and international impact, so this event also aims to position the Centre Region on the map of major gastronomic events. From 2026 onwards, the idea is for it to be held in an itinerant format, touring the other CIMs in the Centre Region each year, in an exercise in collective governance. Viseu will be the planned destination for next year's PROVE Wine & Cheese.
* Two operations supported by the 2030 Centre, Portugal 2030 and the European Union. The European Funds closest to you.
For more information, please contact:
Inovcluster - Cluster Agroindustrial do Centro
Tel.: +351 272 095 420
Email: eventos@queijoscentrodeportugal.pt
