The last "Czar" of the 20th century will be available, in the first quarter of 2024, at 6,500 euros a bottle of 0.75 liters. There is already a waiting list to secure at least one of the 86 bottles of this red wine with Protected Designation of Origin, produced from grapes that grow at Criação Velha, in the Protected Landscape of Vine Culture of Pico Island, a World Heritage Site.

Adega Czar, from Pico Island, joins Vista Alegre once again to present a top-quality product with great meaning for the family, as producer Fortunato Garcia tells us: "The wine, from the 1999 harvest, was produced by my father, José Duarte Garcia, who kept a barrel because he liked it very much. Later, he gave nine bottles to each of his three sons". Some of it was consumed, but Fortunato Garcia, Genuína Sousa, and José Duarte Garcia decided to gather what was left and make a special blend, which, in a way, pays homage to their father, who died in 2007.

This will be the most expensive "Czar" ever to be made available and the second time Vista Alegre is linked to the brand, after, in 2017, the winery presented the 2009 production in 75 crystal bottles, of 0.50 liters, at a thousand euros, with wine that, in a totally natural way, reached 20.1% alcohol. All bottles were sold in less than six months and, curiously, most (52) were purchased by Portuguese.

Here Comes 2013's Premium
Soon, lovers of this "nectar of the gods" will be able to buy the "premium" from the 2013 harvest, a gift that arrives next Christmas and that already has interested parties from several countries – to the point of being almost sold out. There will be 863 bottles of 0.75 liters, with 19% alcohol content, at a more affordable price, but still out of reach for many wallets – 500 euros.

The success of "Czar" is growing because its alcohol content is obtained naturally, only from the fruit, and to a high degree. This characteristic has been reported by several international media, such as "Forbes" and "BBC Travel", which has brought great notoriety to "Czar".

Another factor was the creation of the web page (czarwine.pt), through which the foreign public can schedule visits to the winery for tastings.
"The number of visitors in May was much higher than usual for this time of the year. The visitors are Americans, Belgians, Swiss, French... many nationalities. Normally, we have this number of visitors in the middle of June", says Fortunato Garcia, producer, but also a teacher and musician.

“Czarina” in 2024
The winery's projects don't end here, and a new product is being prepared to be officially unveiled in 2024, all because the mother, Maria Teresa Gomes, never really liked "Czar".

Thinking of her and inspired by the well-known angelica, a sweeter wine has been produced. Next year it will leave the family environment and be presented under the name "Czarina".

And another brand will be created, to take advantage of production from several years, with exceptional quality, but which, for various reasons, does not meet the high-quality standards and characteristics that the producer defined for "Czar".

About this year's harvest, the expectations are high. Patience is the best word to associate with "Czar", especially if you are a wine lover, since it is aged for eight years in barrels, then bottled and aged again for six months before being made available to consumers.