Some of the oldest private wine cellars storing wine from the Colares denominated region were located in the village of Azenhas do Mar. We are familiar with those owned by Luís Augusto and Manuel José Collares, who have been producing and marketing this wine since 1848.

In 1899 João, António and Hermegildo Bernardino da Silva who became known locally as the Chitas family, acquired some of these cellars and established a company called Collares Chitas.

In about 1900, António Bernardino da Silva Chitas set up the Beira Mar cellars which markets Colares wine to this day and is the only one to export it internationally.

Colares wine boasts an incomparable history from the birth of the nation through the writings of various figures such as Eça de Queiroz and Lord Byron. Vines which are planted in sandy soils and maritime climates must be handled with great care and must be cultivated in small-scale vineyards which are worked manually. As well as being produced under very special microclimatic conditions, these vines come from native grape varieties such as Ramisco (red) and Malvasia de Colares (white) and are highly appreciated by some of the most respected names in international oenology. As a result of the combination of human and viticulturist factors, each bottle constitutes a very special heritage and is a veritable collector's item.

Located in the village of Almoçageme, this is one of the oldest cellars producing Colares wine.

‘Viúva Gomes & Filhos’- which was awarded the first prize at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 – was the main supplier of wine for the soldiers who fought on the French front during World War One.

In 1989 the company was taken over by Jacinto Lopes Baeta & Filhos who implemented a new marketing strategy for the wine. 

The cellar currently has a storage capacity of 105,000 litres.

Spurred by the success of Colares wine, in 1921 the Viscount of Salreu built a vast cellar in Banzão, designed by Norte Junior, the architect. The building, which drew inspiration from vernacular architecture, consists of two parallel blocks which form a set of structures of remarkable shape and form. The imposing façade can be seen from the road that links Colares to Praia da Maçãs. It is currently owned by the Chitas family.