Learn About Portugal

July 26, 2011
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Portugal is located on the southwestern edge of the Iberian Peninsula and is the western-most point of Continental Europe. It’s as close as Europe gets to the U.S. without crossing an ocean!

Portugal is the California of Europe™, sharing many similarities with the Golden State. Both California and Portugal are located at the southwestern tips of their respective continents, virtually at the same latitude. Both hug a long and pristine ocean coast, and both feature a mostly-sunny climate. Both are ideal wine-producing regions.

BUT Portugal is also different. It is an old-world wine country and its grape varietals, growing methods and production traditions have been perfected over many centuries. The country’s numerous unique-in-the-world grape variaties contribute to robust traditional taste with an exotic twist.

The Plain-English Crash Course!

Some of the more famous Portuguese wines include:

Port
Is a fortified wine that is blended with grape brandy and is higher in alcohol, usually between 19 and 22 percent. Port can be very sweet, sweet, semi-dry or dry and is often served as a dessert wine. Port wine is typically aged for several years, often in barrels stored in cellars.

Vinho Verde (“Green” wine)
This semi-sparkling wine is called “green” not because of its color, but due to the fact that it is consumed while the wine is still young, preferably within a year or two after its release. Vinho Verde is unique to Portugal and is not produced anywhere else in the world. Vinho Verdes in the U.S. are predominantly white wines, with medium alcohol content and citrusy palates and aromas.

Portuguese wines fall into one of 3 categories, and this is usually indicated on the front label:

Table Wines (Vinho de Mesa) are cheaper wines which usually include a diverse collection of grapes grown in many different regions. They often don’t list the varietals or the year the wine was produced.

Regional Wines (Vinho Regional) are certified as to the region of Portugal where the grapes were grown. There are 11 wine regions in Portugal and a numbered stamp of certification should be visible on the back label for any certified Regional Wine.

Demarcated Wines (Denominação de Origem Controlada or DOC) have the highest wine certification in Portugal. DOC zones are more specific and strictly controlled. Similar to the Italian Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) classification. A numbered stamp of certification – with the words D.O.C. and the zone – should be on the back label.

The Winespeak Introduction!

Understanding Portuguese wine classifications can be daunting: for such a small country, there are more than 25 controlled regions and over 200 wine varieties unique to Portugal!

But this diversity is also a blessing – with hundreds of unique wine regions and grape varietals, you can virtually drink an entirely different Portuguese wine for each day of the year!

For those who are adventurous enough to step into the more technical side, the following is a more detailed introduction:

Certification

There are four levels of classification for Portuguese wines:

• Table wines
• Regional wines
• Provencial wines
• DOC wines

Table Wines (Vinho de Mesa) are those wines which are not certified as to origin or vintage. They can include a diverse collection of grapes grown in many different regions.

Regional Wines (Vinho Regional) are certified as to the origin of the grapes. There are 11 wine regions in Portugal, and each wine region is controlled by a Regional Winegrowing Commission (Comissão de Viticultura da Região or C.V.R.) that inspects and certifies the grapes’ source and quality. A numbered CVR stamp of certification should be visible on the back label of any certified Regional Wine.

Provincial Wines (Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada or IPR) are a step up from Regional Wines. This certification is often considered as merely a step toward Demarcated Wines classification.

Demarcated Wines (Denominação de Origem Controlada or DOC) have the highest wine certification in Portugal. DOC zones are more specific and strict as to the origin of the grapes. Certification is quite stringent and indicates the highest quality of wine. DOC roughly corresponds to the French Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), the Italian Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC), and the Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) classifications.

Wine Regions

The 11 regions are (location indicated on map with the region’s number).

1. Vinho Regional Minho – Official Commission’s Website

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Vinho Verde

Prominent Varietals: Alvarinho, Loureiro

This most north-western region of Portugal is home to the world-famous Vinho Verde, or “green” wine. Its called green wine not because of its color, but due to the fact that it is consumed while the wine is still young, preferably within a year or two after its release. Vinho Verde is unique to this region and is not produced anywhere else in the world. It typically has medium alcohol content and a distinct taste. It also features excellent digestive properties. Red Vinho Verdes are often full-bodied with intense colors while whites usually show a lemony or straw color. The terrain is quite irregular featuring steep hills and serpentine valleys which abound in granite-rich soil. Vineyards are often grown on hillside manmade terraces.

2. Vinho Regional Transmontano

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Trás-os-Montes

3. Vinho Regional Duriense – Official Commission’s Website

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Douro
• Port

The most famous Portuguese wine – the fortified Port – comes from this region. Port can be very sweet, sweet, semi-dry or dry and is often served as a dessert wine. Port is produced under very specific traditional methods, as a result of adding grape brandy in order to stop the fermentation, leaving residual sugar in the wine, and to boost the alcohol content. The wine is then aged, often in barrels stored in cellars. Ports are high in alcohol, usually between 19 and 22 percent. Douro wines are usually produced in limited quantities by small family-owned wineries, and are fast becoming recognized internationally for their quality and diversity.

4. Vinho Regional Beiras

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Bairrada – Official Commission’s Website
• Beira Interior – Official Commission’s Website
• Dão – Official Commission’s Website
• Lafões
• Távora Varosa

Stretching from the Atlantic shores all the way to the interior Spanish border, Beiras is a versatile region which produces predominantly fruity and often quite aromatic wines. The region is mostly rolling hills and features limestone, granite and slate soils.

5. Vinho Regional Ribatejano – Official Commission’s Website

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Ribatejo

Located northeast of Lisbon across the wide fertile flats of the River Tagus, the Ribatejo region features exciting and unusual wines

6. Vinho Regional Estremadura (recently changed to Lisbon)

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Alenquer
• Arruda
• Bucelas
• Carcavelos
• Colares
• Lourinha
• Obidos
• Torres Vedras

7. Vinho Regional Alentejano – Official Commission’s Website

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Alentejo

8. Vinho Regional Terras do Sado – Official Commission’s Website

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Palmela
• Setúbal

9. Vinho Regional Algarve

Demarcated Areas (DOC):
• Lagoa
• Lagos
• Portimao
• Tavira

10. Vinho Regional Terras Madeirenses – <a href="http://