12. Portugal Flashcards
What are the three climates of Portugal?
Maritime (north coast)
Mediterranean (central and southern coast)
Continental (inland, due to the mountain ranges)
What are the six most planted red grape varieties of Portugal?
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo, Aragonez)
Castelao
Baga
Trincadeira (Tina Amarela)
The Baga grape variety is referenced for elevated levels of ___________ in Portugal.
Tannins
For that reason, it is often aged in neutral barrels as to not impart additional tannins into the wine.
Is it Baga or Trincadeira that is noted for high levels of acidity?
Trincadeira
What is Portugal’s most planted white variety?
Ferneo Pires (also known as Maria Gomes)
Which two white grapes are noted as the stars of Vinho Verde?
Loureiro and Alvarinho
Describe an Alvarinho coming from Vinho Verde:
Tart, minerally
Peach, citrus flavors
True or False: Maria Gomes can be produced in both still and sparkling wines.
True
What four types of grapes are most commonly found in Madeira?
Sercial
Verdelho
Boal
Malvasia (Malmsey)
Is Madeira more likely to be produced with white grapes or red grapes?
White grapes
More specifically:
Sercial
Verdelho
Boal
Malvasia
Describe the three tier wine classification used in Portugal:
Vinho de Portugal
Vinho Regional (VR) - PGI - Currently 14
Denominacion de Origem Controlada (DOC) - PDO. Currently 31
How many VRs does Portugal have?
14
12 for mainland Portugal
1 for Azores
1 for Madeira
VR wines make up approximately 1/4 of production
How many DOCs does Portugal have?
31, including Porto and Madeira
What DOC do most wines from the Minho VR typically align to?
Vinho Verde DOC
Where is the Minho wine region?
Northwestern corner of Portugal
What types of wines are produced in Vinho Verde?
Still: Red, White, Rose
Sparkling
What key grapes are typically found in a white Vinho Verde?
Loureiro and Alvarinho (occasionally blended with Arinto or Trajadura)
What is the minimum alcohol level for a white Vinho Verde?
8.5 Percent
Red Vinho Verdes are typically made from ____________.
Vinhao
Produces deep colored, full body wines.
Very few red Vinho Verde wines are exported.
What is the minimum alcohol level for a Vinho Verde wine?
8.5%
The Porto DOC accounts for roughly ____ % of the Duoro’s total production.
50%
What is the VR of Duoro DOC and Porto DOC?
Duriense VR
What are the two DOCs for the Duriense VR?
Porto DOC and Duoro DOC
The Duoro vineyards are approximately 40 miles east of what city?
Oporto
What are the three subregions of the Duoro?
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo
Duoro Superior
Baixo = lighter style ports
Cima = quality ports
Duoro Superior = largely unfortified wines along with Port
Name 5 key grapes used for Port:
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Cao
What are the 2 key grapes used for white port?
Gouveio
Malvasia Fina
Gouveio and Malvasia Fina are common grapes for ___________.
White Port
Describe the classification system used for the Porto DOC.
Cadastro
Ranks Vineyards A-F (A being top quality)
12 factors (altitude, yield, locality)
The ranking plus the harvest conditions determines the beneficio authorization - the maximum amount of wine permitted to be fortified and used to produce Port that year.
Wine intended for Port is fortified to roughly _______ ABV prior to aging.
19-22%
What is the Vila de Nova de Gaia known for?
Location of the large warehouses/lodges used for storing and aging Port historically.
The high humidity and cooler temperatures of this area (near the Atlantic) make it preferable for aging port (minimal evaporation and maderization).
What are the 8 styles of Port cited in the text?
Ruby
Late Bottle Vintage
Tawny
Vintage
Single Quinta Vintage
Colheita
White
Rose
The most common type of Port produced is a ______ Port.
Ruby Port
Typically aged 2 years before bottling.
A blend of premium Ruby Ports may be bottled as a:
Reserve port
Reserve ports typically age for 4-6 years before bottling. They are more similar to a Tawny port in style than a Ruby port.
What is a Reserve Port?
A premium blend of Ruby Ports that has been aged for 4-6 years in oak. It is more similar to a Tawny port in style.
What is a LBV?
Late Bottle Vintage Port
Wine from a single year vintage, aged for 4-6 years after harvest, intended to be consumed upon release.
What is the difference between a ruby port and a tawny port?
A Tawny port has been aged sufficiently for the ruby nature of a young port to oxidize and turn golden/amber in color. Basic Tawny Port may be aged for just a few years but a Reserve Tawny Port must be aged at least 7 years before bottling.
Vintage Ports must be aged for: _____________.
There is no minimum aging requirement for a Vintage Port - but they must be bottled by July 30th of the third year following the harvest.
What is the minimum aging period for a Vintage Port?
There is no minimum aging period, but they must be bottled by July 30th of the 3rd year following harvest.
Why might the concept of a Single Quinta V intage port be a bit controversial?
Because they are often made during years not deemed suitable for Vintage port production.
What is a single vintage tawny port called?
Colheita
These must remain in oak for at least 7 years. Very few producers create this.
True or False:
White Port is made in both off dry and sweet styles.
True
And is often served as an aperitif
Is Rose Port a thing?
Actually… yes. It was introduced by Croft in 2008 and has proven popular. Thus others are following suit.
Fortified wines of the Madeira DOC are created on which two islands?
Madeira
Porto Santo
What are the four noble grapes of Madeira?
Sercial
Verdelho
Boal
Malvasia / Malmsey
What is the most widely planted grape on the island of Madeira?
Tinta Negra
What are the two methods used for Maderization?
Canteiro Method: Wine is placed in casks, stored in an uncooled warehouse for a minimum of 2 years. This is the most expensive and highest quality approach.
Estufagem Method:
- Cuba de Color: Wine is stored in stainless tanks with hot water coils running throughout for 3 months. It is left to rest for 90 days before bottling. Fastest and least expensive method.
- Armazem de Color: Wine is stored in vats in rooms heated by steam for 6 months. Uses lower temperatures and longer aging times - considered the intermediate option between the other two options.
The classic styles of Madeira take their name from _________ use for that style.
The Grape Variety
Sercial: Extra dry/Dry, acidic (aperitif)
Verdelho: Off dry/Medium Dry, honeyed
Boal: Sweet, raisiny, medium rich
Malmsey: Very sweet, very rich
However, because EU laws require that a wine must be 85% of that variety to be labeled as a varietal wine, many of these may go by the basic name of Madeira.
When might you see the term “rainwater” on a Madeira?
For an off dry, lighter style of Madeira.
What are the four stylistic terms that may be placed on a bottle of Madeira (beyond its single varietal notation?)
Rainwater: lighter style of Madeira, off dry
Age Indication:
Colheita: Single vintage (85%) and aged for at least 5 years before bottling
Frasqueria: Vintage Madeira, aged for 20+ years
What is a Frasqueira?
A Vintage Madeira, cask aged for a minimum of 20 years.
Where is the Bairrada DOC?
South of the Minho VR and North of the Lisboa VR. It is part of the Beira Atlantico VR.
The majority of wine produced in the Barraida DOC is:
Red wine made from the Baga grape.
Maria Gomes/Fernao Pires provides the basis for the still and sparkling white wines of the region.
The Dao DOC produces a wine range of wines, but is most commonly known for its:
Complex, full body red blends.
Where is the Dao DOC?
In the Terras de Dao VR, South of the Minho VR and East of the Lisboa DR. (Center of country, northern bias).
Where is the Lisboa VR?
On the Western coast, south of Barraida.
Where is the Colares DOC?
In the Lisboa DR, right up against the coastline.
It’s known for its unique vineyards planted amongst the sand.
Lisboa is known for crisp white wines, red wines with good price to value ratio and ____________.
Brandy, particularly from the Lourinha DOC.
The red wines made in the Colares DOC are cited for _____ acid and ____ tannin.
High acid, high tannin
Colares DOC is known for its vineyards being planted in sand.
What is the name of the region to the east of Lisboa?
Tejo
Significant producer for both Vino de Portugal and VR Tejo wines.
Castelao and Trincadeira are the leading red grapes of the Tejo region. _____________ is the leading white grape.
Fernao Pires / Maria Gomes
Fernao Pires is the leading white grape of the Tejo wine region.
What are the leading red grapes of the region?
Trincadeira and Castelao
Where is the Tejo DOC?
In the Tejo wine region of Portugal, east of Lisboa.
What are the two key DOCs of the Peninsula de Setubal?
Setubal DOC
Palmela DOC
Setubal is known for its vin Doux Naturels and Pelmela is known for its red wine based primarily on Castelao.
Where is the Palmela DOC?
In the Peninsula de Setubal region of Portugal.
South of Lisboa and Tejo, West of Alentejo.
True or False:
The Alentejano region is known as a significant producer of quality wines.
True
It’s continental climate, in the Southeastern part of Portugal, produce wines that are rich, complex, fruity forward, with good acidity.
It’s primary grapes are Aragonez, Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet. International varieties such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon do well here too.
Compare/Contrast the Alentejano an the Algarve regions of Portugal.
Alentejano: Mostly inland, small strip of coastline on the western coast. Contintental climate
Algarve: Covers most of the southern coastline. Varied climate. Mountain range to the north block much of the interior heat.
Alentejano: High production
Algarve: Low production
Similar grapes: Aragonez, Trincadeira, Fernao Pires / Maria Gomes
The Azores are approximately _____ miles off the coast of Portugal.
Nine islands, roughly 1000 miles off the coast of Portugal.
All nine islands of the Azores may produce wine under which regional label?
Azores VR
Three islands have their own DOCs: Biscoitos, Graciosa, Pico
The majority of the wine produced in the Azores is:
White
Red
Rose
White
Dry and Fortified
Verdelho, Arinto, Terrantez grapes
