Portugal:
The Country and its Wine

Portugal, being so close to Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, might surprise you with just how different its wine is compared to its neighbor.

Portugal has diverse soils and climates, featuring everything from schist and granite in the Douro Valley to limestone in Bairrada and sandy soils in Colares. Its climate is equally varied, with cool Atlantic breezes, hot Mediterranean summers, and warm, dry conditions throughout the south.

Of course, Portugal is known for one thing in particular: Port. But it’s a lot more than just that. Let’s dig in.

🌐 Portuguese Wine Regions

🗺️ Major Portuguese Wine Regions

• Douro is Portugal’s most famous wine region and home to both Port and high-quality dry reds. Its terraced vineyards on steep slopes by the Douro River make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. Douro has three subregions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior.
• Vinho Verde is a lush, rainy region in the northwest known for its young, refreshing, lightly effervescent wines. These are often white, made from grapes like Alvarinho and Loureiro, and pair perfectly with warm afternoons–can you tell I’m a big fan? The name translates to “Green Wine,” but it actually means green as in fresh and lush, not literally colored green. Still–I like to pretend it’s a special green–just let me enjoy it, okay? There are 9 subregions in Vinho Verde.
• Alentejo is a large, sunny region in southern Portugal with hot plains that produce smooth, fruity reds and full-bodied whites. Known for innovation, it’s a modern hub of Portuguese wine with 8 subregions within.
• Dão is an inland mountainous area, famous for elegant, structured reds like Touriga Nacional and mineral-driven whites from Encruzado. Cooler temperatures give these wines a balanced and fresh character.
• Madeira is an island region renowned for its fortified wines, which are aged using heat to develop their unique caramelized flavors. These wines are practically indestructible, making them favorites for collectors.

🗺️ Secondary Portuguese Wine Regions

• Lisboa is a diverse wine area near Portugal’s capital, producing everything from crisp whites in Bucelas to rich reds in Alenquer. Its proximity to the Atlantic adds freshness to the wines, and it’s divided into 9 subregions.
• Tejo is named after the Tagus River and is known for easy-drinking, affordable wines.
• Setúbal is a small region famous for its sweet, fortified Muscat wines, particularly Moscatel de Setúbal. These dessert wines are rich and aromatic.
• Bairrada specializes in sparkling wines and tannic reds made from the Baga grape. Its cool climate near the Atlantic shapes the region’s style. About 2/3rds of Portugal’s sparkling wine production takes place in Bairrada.

🗺️ Lesser-Known Portuguese Wine Regions

• Beira Interior is a high-altitude region producing fresh and aromatic wines. Its vineyards are among the most remote in Portugal.
• Távora-Varosa is known for its sparkling wines made using traditional methods. The cooler climate helps preserve acidity.
• Trás-os-Montes is a mountainous region making rustic reds and whites with a strong sense of place. It’s one of the most traditional wine areas in Portugal.
• Colares is a tiny region near the coast, where vines grow in sandy soils resistant to phylloxera. The Ramisco grape produces unique, long-lived reds.
• Algarve is better known for beaches, but its warm climate yields ripe, approachable wines. These are ideal for casual drinking.
• The Azores are an Atlantic island archipelago region producing fresh, volcanic wines with a salty edge. The output is small, but increasingly trendy.

🍾 Common Grapes in Portugal

Portugal has something like 250 indigenous grape varieties, and we sure can’t get into all of them here. It’s a point of pride for Portuguese vintners and makes the country extremely ripe for exploration. Here are some of interest:

🍇 Major Portuguese Grapes

• Touriga Nacional: The flagship red grape of Portugal, known for its intense flavors of dark fruit and floral aromas, and the backbone of both Port and high-quality dry reds.
• Aragonez (Tempranillo): Widely grown across Portugal, this versatile grape produces everything from bold, tannic reds to approachable blends.
• Fernão Pires (Maria Gomes): The most planted white grape in Portugal, known for its aromatic qualities and adaptability, producing fresh, floral wines.
• Castelão: A robust red grape from southern Portugal, often used in blends and prized for its aging potential and flavors of red berries and earthy tones.
• Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are also grown here and there in Portugal, often blended with local grapes. However, Portugal has been resisting the introduction of most foreign grape varieties to maintain its unique identity.

🍇 Indigenous & Unique Portuguese Grapes

• Alvarinho: A highly prized white grape from Vinho Verde, producing vibrant, crisp wines with citrus and stone fruit notes.
• Baga: A tannic red grape from Bairrada, known for its structure and ability to produce a variety of age-worthy wines with earthy and cherry flavors.
• Encruzado: A standout white grape from the Dão region, known for producing elegant, balanced wines with mineral and citrus characteristics.
• Trincadeira: A red grape thriving in hot, dry regions like Alentejo, offering flavors of ripe berries and spices with firm tannins.
• Verdelho: Traditionally used in Madeira, this white grape also shines in dry wines with refreshing acidity and tropical notes.
• Loureiro: An aromatic white grape from Vinho Verde, offering floral and citrusy wines ideal for light, refreshing styles.
• Ramisco: Found only in Colares, this rare red grape thrives in sandy soils and produces elegant, age-worthy wines with a unique saline edge.
• Tinta Barroca: A key grape in Port production, often adding richness and softness to blends.
• Moscatel Galego Branco: Known for producing sweet fortified wines in regions like Setúbal, with lush flavors of orange and floral notes.
• Antão Vaz: A white grape in Alentejo, producing tropical and citrus-forward wines with great body.

🍇 More Niche Portuguese Grapes

• Hondarribi Beltza: A rare red variety grown near the Spanish border in the Minho region, used in lightly sparkling wines.
• Treixadura: Found in northern Portugal, this white grape contributes to blends with fresh acidity and herbal notes.
• Marufo: Used in blends in the Douro, this red grape adds body and texture.
• Tinta Francisca: A minor but historical grape in the Douro, valued for its contribution to Port blends.
• Sousão: A dark-skinned grape adding intense color and acidity to both dry and fortified wines.
• Callum: Once on the brink of extinction, this rare red grape from Castelo Branco is being revived for its potential to produce uniquely aromatic and balanced wines.
• Tinta Grossa: A challenging grape to cultivate, it was largely abandoned but is now being rediscovered for its ability to add boldness and depth to blends.
• Douradinha: A rare white grape known for its golden hue and subtle tropical fruit notes, recently brought back into focus by innovative producers in Dão.
• Terrantez: Revered in Madeira for its complex, elegant wines, this grape is making a quiet comeback on the mainland.
• Uva Cão: Translating to “dog grape,” it’s as wild as its name implies, with a quirky character that adds earthiness and acidity to wines.
• Monvedro: A hidden treasure producing wines with delicate floral aromas and fresh minerality.
• Malvasia Preta: A lesser-known variant of Malvasia, valued for its soft tannins and ability to create approachable, light-bodied reds.

📅 Portugal Vintage Reports

I’m compiling these shortly–thanks for your patience!

📖 History of Wine in Portugal

Wine has been a part of Portugal’s identity for over 4,000 years. The Tartessians planted vineyards in the Sado Valley (south of Lisbon) and the Tagus Valley (through central Portugal) as early as 2000 BCE.  The Tartessians were an ancient civilization shrouded in myth that likely flourished on the Iberian Peninsula near modern Andalusia, often associated with advanced metallurgy.

The Phoenicians, arriving around 1000 BCE, brought even more grapes and new winemaking techniques, as they did for much of Europe.

Just a few centuries later, Greek settlers arrived in southern Iberia, establishing trading posts and in need of a good drink. Greek influence on Portuguese wine is seen in ancient artifacts like mixing vessels and amphorae.

Roman rule of the area (which they called Lusitania), beginning in the second century BCE, brought even more viticulture. They brought the plough, and terraced the Douro Valley, still visible today. “Lusitanian wine” was exported back to the Roman empire.

When the Romans fell in the 5th century CE, Portugal was plunged into turmoil. Barbarian invasions and Islamic conquest overtook the region, but winemaking practices were saved by a pragmatic Moorish government and monastic practices.

The Treaty of Windsor in 1386 cemented Portugal’s wine trade with England, which shaped centuries of winemaking to come. When the Methuen Treaty of 1703 lowered tariffs on Portuguese wines in England, demand soared, especially for that one special sweet fortified wine from the Douro region: Port.

Port had been discovered thanks to English merchants in Douro in the late 1600s. They stumbled upon a new winemaking method–fortifying wine during the fermentation process. By 1756, this new wine–Port–was so valuable that the Marquis of Pombal established one of the first wine appellations to control its production.

Portugal, like most of Europe, was severely affected by accidentally-imported New World pests and diseases that its vines had no resistance to, especially the phylloxera epidemic. Some regions, like Colares with its sandy soils, escaped mostly unscathed. Most, however, had to replant with grafted vines. The crisis had the effect of pushing Portugal further into trading isolation, relying heavily on its colonial markets, like Brazil.

The 20th century saw more upheaval. Salazar’s Estado Novo regime centralized the wine industry, leading to an increase in order, but a decrease in creativity.

When Portugal entered the EU in 1986, funding poured in for modern winemaking, while smaller producers were freed from oppressive regulations. The wine industry started turning back to quality over quantity, focusing on unique native grapes like Touriga Nacional, Baga, and Alvarinho. Boutique wineries flourished, and regions like Vinho Verde, Dão, and Alentejo gained international acclaim.

Today, Portugal’s wines are better than ever. Whether it’s a robust Port, a crisp Vinho Verde “green,” or an experimental dry red from Douro, Portuguese wines are a treasure trove for all.

🍷 Portuguese Wines I’ve Tried

Casal Garcia – Vinho Verde (Portugal)

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