The Dry Wines of Portugal
Understanding Important Portuguese Grapes and Regions
Port and Madeira have stolen the Portuguese wine limelight for some time. As recently as 15 to 20 years ago, dry table wines from Portugal were thought of as nothing more than dusty dry reds and overly oxidized whites. And let's not forget Mateus, that medium-sweet, lightly sparkling rose that many of us cut our wine teeth on as youths. It all started to change when Portugal joined the EU in 1986. The 1990's saw the adoption of modern winemaking technologies and huge investments in new winery equipment. It is now 10 to 20 years later and we are seeing the results of these upgrades.
When Portugal joined the EU, its demarcated regions became redesignated as Denominacao de Origem Controlada or DOC for short. This is the equivalent to the AOC designation in France.
Portuguese Grapes
Portugal manages to produce a huge variety of wine styles from the light and fresh Vinho Verde to the robust and sweet styles of Port and Madeira. Although international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have made inroads into Portugal, the future of the country's wines lies in the fabulous grapes that are native to it.
Popular Portuguese White Wine Grapes:
- Loureiro: an aromatic grape used in Vinho Verde. It has aromas of bay leaves and apricots with high acidity and low alcohol.
- Alvarinho: an aromatic grape reminiscent of a light Viognier with a higher alcohol content than Loureiro. It's most famous in Vinho Verde, but it's also grown in Dao and Estramedura. It may be used in blends but also may be seen on label as a single varietal wine.
Popular Portuguese Red Wine Grapes:
- Touriga Nacional: a powerfully tannic red with aromas of dark fruit, violets, and leather. It is also the star in the great fortified wine, Port.
- Tinta Roriz: the Portuguese name for the Spanish grape, Tempranillo. It's also known as Aragonez. One of the 5 official varieties recommended for Port. It can be very tannic but can also have attractive flavours of raspberry and mulberry fruit.
- Touriga Francesa: also known as Touriga Franca. This is another of the 5 official varieties of Port. It has good colour and tannins with a powerful aroma of mulberries and roses. It doesn't have the quality of Touriga Nacional, but it works well in blends, adding an exotic note.
- Baga: a very tannic grape with high acidity. Modern winemaking techniques can soften and temper the wine bringing out the grape's rich berry fruit flavours. Baga is the native grape of the Bairrada region of Portugal.
Some of Portugal's Most Important Wine Regions
- Douro: The Douro is undoubtably the most famous wine producing region in Portugal as it is the home of the great fortified wine, Port. It is also one of the oldest delimited wine regions in the world being demarcated in 1756. The region has produced unfortified dry wines for centuries, but they fell out of fashion after the sweet fortified version began to be produced. The dry table wines of the Douro are making a comeback as investment in winemaking techniques and equipment have drastically improved the quality of this style of wine made from the same grapes that go into making Port.
- Vinho Verde: Lovers of white wine are probably very familiar with the light-bodied, slightly spritzy, and very refreshing wine produced in this region. The alcohol levels of these wines tend to be very reasonable and can be as low as 9.5 to 10% abv. This is Portugal's largest demarcated region and it is found in the northern part of the country, just across the border from the Spanish wine region of Rias Biaxas. Alvarinho and Loureiro are the two best grape varieties used. The area also produces some red wine from the Vinhao grape. The reds tend to be a deep purple colour with a peppery character.
- Bairrada: Over 80% of the wine in this region is red and most is made from the Baga grape. This region began making wine in the 10th century and by the 1700s it was being drunk in Britain as Port or blended with Port. When the Douro region was demarcated in 1756, the vineyards of Bairrada were dug up and it has taken over 2 centuries for this region to recover. It finally became demarcated in 1979. Some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are being planted to help tame the aggressive Baga. Incidentally, Mateus is made here.
- Dao: The Dao region has the reputation of producing some of the country's best red wines. The area is surrounded by mountains on three sides and is protected from the Atlantic Ocean. It has long, warm summers and winters with abundant rainfall. About 80% of the wines produced here are red and Touriga Nacional must make up at least 20% of any blend. The reds tend to be firm and tannic but with good fruit flavours and a dry, spicy finesse.
With so many different styles, from light, refreshing whites to big, bold reds, there is bound to be a Portuguese wine for everyone. The wines of Portugal can still be enjoyed at a reasonable price which is great in our current economic climate. Stock up now before everyone becomes aware of the excellent value of many of these wines and the prices start to rise.
Portuguese Wine Bottle
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Food & Drink
Latest Articles