Portugal is one of the big players in wine production and wine export. Winemaking has been established in the country well before Roman times. However, the latter civilization has strongly augmented the production and consumption of wines. Portuguese wines are highly regulated and classified according to many criteria, all meant to maintain the highest calibers in quality.
Therefore, today many wine connoisseurs and collectors look specifically to find the best wines from Portugal. The country’s terrain is very diverse, and several microclimates exist which greatly influence the grapes and ultimately the wine produced. Such a phenomenon is normally referred to as terroir, a term that summarizes many factors including soil, climate, human skills, traditions, grape variety’s expression among many other pillars.
Having said that, it is time to explore the various types of Portuguese wines and what sets the stage for their importance internationally.
1. Port Wines, The Famous Portuguese Wines
This red wine is very versatile and comes in various forms. The normal type of Port wine is the fortified sweet and red wine. Many people like to enjoy it with a nice Portuguese dessert, however it can also be sipped and savoured on its own, especially the dry varieties. Moreover, this wine can be a white wine as well. Of course, the latter is a process related to the production of the wine. The maceration technique involving the contact between the skin of the grape and the must, affects the color and type of the wine. Knowing that wine derives its colour from the skin of the grapes, the maceration defines the color of the wine.
Port wine comes from Douro region, in the Northern part of Portugal. The vinification process is sophisticated and involves fortification. The latter is the step of introducing a high alcoholic spirit, sometimes referred to as brandy to halt the fermentation.
Yeasts are the microorganisms responsible for transforming the sugars of crushed grapes into alcohol. However, they cannot tolerate the high levels of this alcohol that is introduced with the grape spirit. Therefore, their activity stops. Then the wine is aged in barrels. It was historically shipped from the seaside city of Porto, and hence the naming of Port or Porto wine.
Touriga Nacional is the typical grape variety used to produce this wine. The grape has a considerable tannin composition and provides the wine its balanced body and structure. This variety is considered by many references as the finest type used to produce the best Portugese wines.
However, if you would like to visit the wineries in Portugal and make a tour around the vinyards coupled with tasting the finest Port wines, then these wineries are for you:
The winery summarizes generations of experience stretching back to the year 1588. Hence visting Quinta da Roêda | Croft Port is a lifetime experience in the vineyards, cellars and tasting tour. You get to see the beauty of nature and taste it in one glass, a sensational experience. Moreover, picnics are common here and it is the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind.
Location: 5085-016 Pinhão, Douro Portugal
Further Information/Bookings: +351 220133102
The roots of this famous winery started in 1750 via the successful connections with the city of London. Today, the openness to the world is still highly present within the character of the winery. It hosts international group of visitors eager to taste the terroir of the region in one sip. Moreover, this character is strongly pronounced in the identity of every individual bottle.
Location: Largo Dom Luís I, 4400-111 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Further Information/Bookings: +351 913 288 994
2. Moscatel Wines, Another Icon of Portuguese Wines
The Setúbal Peninsula is the geographical region for the production of Moscatel wines. It is a peninsula that is bordered by mainland Portugal and the whole Iberian Peninsula to the East. However, from all other remaining angles, huge bodies of water surround it. This gives it a unique terroir capable of developing particular flavours of the wine that are not present anywhere else around the globe. Moreover, the topography of the region which ranges between mountains, flat terrains and picturesque hills is perfect for winemaking.
The best wineries producing this particular wine are:
Location: R. José Augusto Coelho 12a, 2925-538 Azeitão, Portugal
3. Madeira Wine, The Portuguese Wine of Madeira Islands
The Madeira Island is the birthplace of the legendary footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo. Moreover, this island also provides the world with Madeira wine, one of the unique fortified wines of the world. The wine serves as a perfect apéritif to open the appetite for meals. Otherwise, it can be enjoyed at the end of the meal with a nice dessert from the island or sometimes on its own, depending on the type of the wine.
The best wineries for this experience are:
4. Vinho Verde, The “Green” Portuguese Wine
The naming is rather catchy for some beginners in the wine world as they expect to taste a literally green wine! The green aspect of the wine is its age and not exactly its colour. Hence, this wine is a young wine that can be white, red or rosé. The majority of this type are white styles of wine.
Wine lovers of Vinho Verde normally enjoy their wines shortly after bottling where it retains the fresh aromas. The wines undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF) and hence are characterized with fizziness and slight bubbles. Moreover, this process reduces the harsh malic acid and transforms it to the soft tasting lactic acid, normally associated with buttery aromas. It is reminiscent of lactose, the sugar in milk.
One of the best wineries for this experience is:
Location: Rua de Arufe 530, 4640-342, Portugal
Some Historic Background About Portugal and Its Wines
A lovely colorful nation with positive ambiances. Moreover, Portugal at some point in time used to rule about half of the world known to mankind at that time. This legacy made the country very rich in culture, knowledge and education. Additionally, wine is a very important sector in Portugal’s history as well as projected for more growth in the future.
The nation is located on the Western edge of the European continent. Many sailors historically saw Portugal as a ship itself to board and reach the new world. This legacy continues till our current day where people can cross from their old life habits to their new lifestyle. However this time they can stay in Portugal and no need to cross the ocean to find peace, prosperity and tranquility. Just sip on the marvelous wines of the nation, unplug and unwind in its majestic nature and calm sea and ocean that hug it from various sides.
Moreover, it is a vibrant country with a lot to explore. Portugal has many offers to satisfy people of all ages. Additionally, students hungry for knowledge, education and experience relocate to study abroad here. Portuguese is widely spoken around the country. Therefore, some nationalities like Brazilians find it very convenient to relocate either for study or to live permanently. On the other hand, English is widely spoken all over the country.
There you have it, now you can call yourself an intermediate expert of Portugese wines and you are ready to venture into the mystical world of wines. We love wines and we know that they are the source of many inspirations when consumed moderately and responsibly. Many wines have high caliber especially when labelled as DOC or DOCG which are the European signature for quality wines. Many details are enlisted in these labels, but it is a story for another time. Until then, stay inspired and stay curious….
