Critics and enthusiasts however singularly laud Portugal for its emphasis on planting and showcasing local varietals rather than just embracing French varieties like so many other countries have done. And there’s a lot more of this country’s fermenting modern revolution still to unfold.
key regions
key regions
Duoro Valley – Duoro Valley is Portugal’s crown jewel, sitting literally in the country’s north. Designated as a world heritage site, Duoro’s steep, vine terraces sunk into schistous soil are a thing of beauty and every year, yield a bountiful of grape that is turned into Port, the world’s best fortified wine.
Duoro means gold in Portuguese and continues to turn out liquid gold each year right from prices accessible Ports to premium vintage Port. The region’s plethora of fortifieds can be enjoyed in the nearby historic city of Porto from which Port gets its famous name.
Dao – Dao neighbours the iconic Douro to the south, carpeted with vines on its granite slopes. So while Duoro represents Portugal’s proud history of mastering fortified wine, Dao is the shining symbol of modern Portuguese reds. Over the past two decades, the region has transformed itself to a maker of cool contemporary styles.
The region is dotted with a number of high quality boutique wineries – a far cry from the huge cooperatives that previously mass produced. Most of the vineyards, planted generously with the local grape Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo).
Alentejo – Straddling Portugal’s border with Spain, the warm region of Alentejo is also the country’s largest. Conducive soil and temperatures nudging 35 degrees has propelled to Alentejo to make Portugal’s finest full bodie and bold reds Alentejo is also hailed as Portugal’s ‘New World’ given the region’s success in embracing modern winemaking technology and producing wines from international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
key varietals
key varietalsTouriga Nacional is Portugal’s workhorse and vinous icon, making superlative port wines and modern dry wines. This indigenous red grape ripens perfectly in Portuguese terroir, yielding wines intense colour and flavour and the capacity to get better with age.
Tinta Roriz is the name the Portuguese have given Tempranillo and have put the adopted red grape to good use, making wines of power, rich fruit with smokey and leathery tones and the promise of good ageing.
Tinta Cao is an indigenous grape that’s integral to the epic Port blends. Not an easy grape to grow and infamous for being low yielding, Tinta Cao is still well noted for bringing a spicy dimension to Port wine’s range of flavours.
Verdelho is a white grape prolifically associated with Portugal that turns the grape into fortified wine on its island of Madeira. High acid and vigorous flavours make Verdelho a great one for producing fortified wines as well as modern dry wines that taste of citrus and pear.
key styles
Port Wine is a rich and full bodied fortified wine. It is also the one style synonymous with Portugal for generations. What began as an improvisation in the mid-17th century as a means to allow the English to transport wine across the seas without spoiling became one of wine history’s most exciting landmarks and Portugal has all the bragging rights.
Port wine is made from indigenous varieties including Touriga Nacional, Bastardo, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cão for red ports and Moscatel, Verdelho and Malvasia Fina for whites. The Port wine is classified and the styles range from easy drinking ruby ports to Tawnies which are barrel aged for three years.
Then there’s Late Bottled Vintages (LBV) which are aged for more than three years and as the name suggests, are a unique expression of the vintage during which the grape was picked. Vintage ports sit at the very top of the pecking order since these aren’t produced every year and remain the most sought after niche of Port.
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