Marie Patterson explores the stories, tastes, and experiences that make home feel new again
– October 11, 2025 | Text Marie Patterson | Photos Charlotte Cockayne/Open Media Group
Sometimes, when we live in a place for long enough, we forget to explore it. We drive past the same streets, wave to the same faces, and never quite notice the gems right under our noses.
That’s why I love the idea of being a tourist at home – pressing pause on routine and seeing familiar surroundings through fresh eyes.
For this edition, I decided to do exactly that, and what a discovery it turned out to be.
On the outskirts of Carvoeiro, a new experience has recently opened its doors – UVAE Wine Experience.
The concept was born from the passion of a young couple: Hugo, a wine connoisseur, and Marina, a self-confessed foodie.
Together, they’ve spent years travelling through Portuguese vineyards, tasting, learning, and soaking up knowledge. Now, they’ve poured all of that into an experience that blends education, storytelling, and indulgence.
Unlike a traditional wine tasting where you sit back and sip, UVAE offers something closer to a masterclass.
The session is fully interactive, a journey through the history of Portuguese wines, where you taste as you learn.
Each stage of the story is paired with a carefully selected wine, and each wine comes with a dip or bite created to enhance its character.
It’s not about “here’s a cheese, here’s a wine” in the conventional sense.
It’s about understanding why that particular combination works, from acidity and texture to the balance.
I found myself leaning in, eager to catch every detail, and quickly realised this was as much about learning as it was about enjoying.
Hugo led us through the afternoon with an energy that was both infectious and very reassuring. He doesn’t talk at you; he talks with you – something I found very appealing. The whole group was encouraged to ask questions, share impressions, and even challenge ideas.
Suddenly, wine wasn’t intimidating or snobbish; it was fun, accessible, and incredibly engaging.
His deep knowledge, shaped by countless trips to Portuguese vineyards, gave weight to every explanation, but it was delivered with the warmth of a conversation among friends.
We tasted some truly great references that evening.
Wines that told stories of their regions, whether sun-baked Alentejo reds, crisp Vinho Verde, or elegant Douro whites, and with every sip, there was a dip waiting to amplify the flavour. Sometimes it was creamy, sometimes tangy, sometimes earthy, but always designed to interact with the wine in a way that made both feel dramatically enhanced.
It was surprising, playful, and left me with a new appreciation for how food and wine can dance together.
The setting itself felt very relaxed, and as the afternoon went on, it struck me how valuable it is to have something like this in Carvoeiro.
Tourists often flock to big cities like Lisbon or Porto for immersive wine experiences, but here we were, enjoying something every bit as professional and innovative right on our doorstep. For locals, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to travel far to discover something special. For visitors, it’s an authentic taste of Portuguese culture in a format that’s both modern and intimate.
Of course, the evening didn’t stop there. Still buzzing from Hugo and Marina’s contagious passion, I decided to carry the experience forward and booked a table at Le Crô, their well-established tapas restaurant.
Here, Marina takes centre stage, curating a menu of small, beautifully executed dishes meant to share.
The dishes range from traditional Iberian flavours to creative new twists, each crafted with the same thoughtfulness we had just experienced at UVAE.
Dinner at Le Crô felt like a natural continuation of the journey. Hugo was once again there, pairing wines with the food, whilst Marina’s foodie flair shone through in the kitchen. The two of them clearly balance each other perfectly.
He’s the wine-y half of the relationship, she’s the foodie half, and together they’ve created something far greater than the sum of its parts.
As I sat back with (another!) glass of wine, surrounded by chatter and clinking dishes, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought that this was all happening just minutes from home.
Too often we think we need to travel miles to find adventure, when in fact, adventure can be right around the corner.
Being a tourist at home means giving yourself permission to explore, to try, to discover, and this evening at UVAE and Le Crô was proof of just how rewarding that can be.
So if you’re looking for something new in Carvoeiro, whether you’re a local or just passing through, I can’t recommend this enough.
Go with curiosity, go with an open palate, and let Hugo and Marina take you on a journey. You’ll leave with new knowledge, new flavours, and perhaps, like me, a renewed appreciation for the place you call home.
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