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Portugal – The Regions And Grape Varieties
There are more than 200 indigenous grape varieties to be found in Portugal. The diversity of styles they offer to the consumer is fascinating and their discovery can be highly enjoyable.
Portuguese Wine Regions:| Alentejo Dåo Ribatejo |
Beiras Douro Terras do Sado |
Bairrada Estremadura Vinho Verde |
Alentejo
The undulating Alentejo plains south and east of Lisbon cover a third of mainland Portugal and most of the country south of the Tagus River. In complete contrast to the north, this is sparsely populated region where cereal farms stretch as far as the eye can see. Over the last 20 years the Alentejo region has emerged as an important wine-making area and more recently Cooperatives and single estates have worked hard to modernize both the vineyards and the wineries. The winemaking potential of the Alentejo is finally being realized with demand for vineyards far exceeding supply resulting in the highest prices per hectare in Portugal.
Grape varieties: The production of red wine, principally from Aragonez, Trincadeira, Moreta and Catelão Francês grapes, exceeds white, although some growers are realizing the potential of white varieties souch as Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Perrum.
Beiras
Occupying the central part of Portugal, this vast land of forests is home to some of the most interesting wine in Portugal. The climate and landscape is varied; the local dishes too – from light grilled fish and seafood to heavy lamb stews. And there is a range of wines to suit every palate and dish. With its ever changing landscapes and charming towns, Beiras is where the DOCs of Bairrada and Dão are located.
Bairrada
Bairrada is an area of agricultural smallholdings. Cereals, beans and vines thrive in between clumps of eucalyptus on the heavy but fertile soils. There are a number of cooperatives in the region but an increasing number of independent producers are springing up.
Grape varieties: Bairrada is unusual in Portugal in that it is almost a one-grape region. Over 80% of the wines are red, made principally from the Baga vine. Baga is the native grape of the Bairrada region. With care it is possible to squeeze all of the juicy character into the bottle without bringing out its aggressive side. White grapes, mostly Maria Gomes and Bical are grown to produce traditional method sparkling wines.
Dåo
Locked in three sides by high granite mountains and sheltered from the Atlantic, it benefits from long warm summers, cool nights and abundant winter rainfall. The sandy soils are well drained and the vineyards are stocked with a wealth of indigenous grape varities.
Grape varities: Over two-thirds of Dão wines are red and made from up to nine different authorized grapes. Touriga Nacional must account for at least 20% of any one wine. The other grapes permitted to make up the remainder are Jaen, Tinta Pinheira, Alfrocheiro Preto and Tinta Roriz and the rather unfortunate name Bastardo.
Douro
Probably most famous as the source of the famous fortified wine port, although the Douro DOC is increasingly well known for the production of unfortified table wine.
The Douro Valley was demarcated in 1756 making it one of the oldest delimited wine regions in the world. The boundaries have since been modified but the irregular outline corresponds closely with an outcrop of pre-Cambrian schist. Hemmed in by granite, this schist runs either side of the river for nearly 100 km from the Spanish frontier to the west.
Table wines are not new to the Douro. Until the early part of he 18th century, most of the wine exported from the region was fermented dry and shipped without the addition of spirit. With the huge investment in both skills and equipment that are necessary to make table wine in the extreme Douro climate we now find an area which has established itself as one of Portugal’s finest and most admired wine regions.
Grape varities: The grape varieties used in making Dao table wines are similar to those used to produce port. More than 90 different grapes being permitted of which some of the most popular varieties include Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo). Ribigato, Gouveio, and Viosinho are some of the white grape varieties used in the region.
Estremadura
Estremadura is a relatively narrow stip of hilly land lying between the Tagus River and the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles long and 40 miles wide. This region is characterized by its gentle rolling hills where the color green predominates. Located north of Lisbon, it is known as the Vegetable Garden of Lisbon. It contains the DOC regions of Torres Vedras in the west. Arruda in the east and Alenquer in the centre. The climate dictates the styles of wine produced in these three areas, since the vineyards closest to the Atlantic are subject to wetter and more moderate conditions and thus produce lighter, less alcoholic wines, while the vines planted further inland give stronger and fruitier wines.
Grape varieties: For red wines Castelão Francês, Tinta Miuda, Trincadeira and for white Arinto, Vital and Fernão Pires.
Ribatejo
Agricultural heartland of Portugal on either side of the Tagus inland from the capital of Lisbon. Fertile alluvial soils yield ample supplies of fruit and vegetables for the urban population around the river estuary. The Ribatejo province in therefore on of the wealthiest parts of Portugal. Vines planted on the flood plain are naturally irrigated most winters by the swollen river so yields can be high here. Soils are poorer on the stretch alongside the left bank of the Tagus down to Alentejo. The percentage volume of alcohol of the wine produced in this region is high as a result of the grapes’ exposure to the sun, which reflects on the white sands where the vine grows.
Grape varieties: a number of varieties can be found in this region, not only indigenous but also international. Fernão Pires, Arinto and Talia are the favored white grapes while Castelão Francês, Alfrocheiro, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah produce a wide variety of red wines.
Terras do Sado
Sado is the name of the river which cuts through this vast plain, sandy region with its mild winters and very hot summers. The region is famous for its beautiful beaches and fishing villages, as well as natural parks, laid down around Sado and Tagus estuary and the Arrabida Mountain. This area is renowned for its Muscat and Castelão Francês grape varieties, producing very concentrated, fruity wines, recommended for drinking with food because of their strong tannis. However, some of the new wines from this area, recently introduced into the market, are in contrast soft, and perfect for drinking before and after meals. This region is also famous for its Moscatel fortified wines, an ideal complement to cakes and sweet desserts, as well as a digestive drink.
Palmela is the larger of the two distinct wine regions on the Sétubal peninsula. Low-yielding vineyards on the north-facing clay and limestone slopes have traditionally produced the best wines, with those on the fertile, sandy plain extending eastwards from the fortress town of Palmela have always been more productive.
Grape varieties: The most important grape of the region is the versatile Castelão Frances (nick named Periquita) which is used to make red, rosé and sparkling wines. Espadeiro and Monvendro are also grown, but imported varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are gaining in popularity. Apart from the Muscat of Alexandria, Arinita and Esgana Cão are the most significant white varieties. Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer are also successfully grown.
Vinho Verde
It is the white wines from this region that are most often seen around the world. It is Portugal’s largest demarcated wine region, extending from Vale de Cambra south of the river Douro to the river Minho that forms the frontier with Spain. It officially divides into six sub-regions, distinquished by climatic differences and the white grape varieties grown there.
Within this region you will find some of the oldest manor houses and noble families in the country dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries. This region is punctuated by a patchwork of farms and estates, producing a wide variety of agricultural products including grapes. Vinho Verde is famous for its landscape of evergreen mountains and valleys, with mild winters and warm pleasant summers. A region steeped in history, where wine has always played a major role as the best companion for the local fresh fish, meat, poultry and home-grown-vegetables.
Grape varieties: Alvarinho, a prestigious variety which produces one of the best but least typical Vinho Verdes. Alcohol levels can be up to 13% and the wines are notable age-worthy. Loureiro, Trajadura and Pedernã all grow in the Vinho Verde DOC around the towns of Braga, Barcelos and Guimarães. These high-yielding vines produce wines that are light and fresh, typically with an alcoholic strength between 8 and 10%. Avesso is an important variety grown around the town of Baião in the Vinho Verde producing a slightly fuller style of wine.
* Source: ViniPortugal.
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