Ch. 21 – Portugal Flashcards

Question

Tinta Roriz

Answer 1

(Tempranillo in Spain, Aragonez elsewhere in Portugal) early ripening - best grown on relatively cool sites - can suffer from water stress Contributes body, colour to the blend Capable of high yields, but has to be limited

Answer 2

Thick-skinned berries - deep colour - ability to retain high acidity brings freshness to the blend

Answer 3

Viosinho - full bodied, floral, stone fruit - can lack acidity Rabigato - high acidity, citrus, floral Gouveio (Godello) - medium+ acidity, citrus, stone fruit Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains) - enhances intensity of aroma in blend White grapes tend to be planted on coolest sites (e.g. high altitude, north-facing, or located in the west)

Answer 4

over 70% red Often blend of sites to reduce vintage variation Sometimes field blend of old vine fruit (vinhas velhas) - all Port houses make dry wine - best: Prats & Symington Usually destemmed (additional tannin rarely needed) Stainless with temp control - relatively cool temps for reds - greater tannin control - some producers still use lagares (or may start ferment there) - easier to monitor extraction level than in closed tank Post-ferment maceration for premium wine (soften tannin) - traditionally matured in large Portuguese oak vessels - today, mainly French oak barriques - trend towards less new oak and larger vessels Inexpensive whites made protectively - often contain Moscatel Premium whites made from old vines and tend to be aged in oak (new or old) - very good or outstanding

Answer 5

Port is 60% of production VR Duriense can be used by producers using non-local varieties - produces small volumes Many co-ops (inexpensive wines) - many premium wines made by the Port houses, often from select plots Beneficio controls prices and volumes of Port - does not touch Douro wines Price of grapes for Douro DOC are below Porto DOC - in years of surplus prices drop even further (often below production costs) 35% exported (Brazil, Canada)

Answer 6

surrounded by mountains - protected from cool maritime weather (west) - protected from arid conditions (east, south) Mediterranean climate - relatively high rainfall, mainly in autumn, winter - traditionally bush vines, but now VSP Number of hills, valleys, mountain ranges - varied altitude and aspects (most at 400-500m) - pine and eucalyptus forests Weathered granite soils - low nutrients - free draining - constaining vigour - water stress can be problem Hail during summer, spring frosts below mountains

Answer 7

around 80% red wine Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro - often blended - often less full bodied than Douro, with fresher flavors and more acidity - used to undergo long maceration and maturation (lacking in fruit) - now, shorter maceration and aging is common (new oak is typical, but trend is for less) - good to outstanding Encruzado - key variety for white wines - medium (medium+) acidity, can be full bodied, lemon, peach, floral - neutral ferment or fermentation/maturation in oak - sometimes lees stirring - capable of ageing well Other white varieries: - Bical - Cercial

Answer 8

Mencia in Spain (grown in Dão) moderate acidity, raspberry, blackberry Sometimes made by carbonic maceration

Answer 9

Medium tannin and body Strawberry and blackberry Usually made in a soft fruity style

Answer 10

area of small vineyard holdings Sogrape led the way in producing higher quality wines at all price points Growing number of quality-minded estates and merchants - Vinha Paz Only 15-20% exported (Brazil, Canada)

Answer 11

Maritime climate - generous rainfall, mainly in spring and fall (problematic for late-ripening) Fertile alluvial soils in west Limestone-clay slopes in the south Traditionally, high-trained individually staked bush vines - recent plantings are trellised (Guyot)

Answer 12

Black grape variety dominating Bairrada region High acidity and tannins, medium body Cranberry, cherry, plum Can be astringent when young, but softer and more complex with bottle ageing. Previously grown at high yields - lacked concentration - much was used for Mateus Rose - now, greater understanding of how to treat it in the vineyard and winery Late ripening and productive - careful site selection to ensure full ripeness - south-facing slopes - best on limestone-clay (best balance of drainage vs. water retention) - photosynthesis can stop in drought - light-colored limestone soils reflect light onto vines - green harvesting may be carried out

Answer 13

Baga traditionally fermented on stems - long ageing required - now wines are de-stemmed (but some using a proportion of whole clusters) Vessels range from stainless steel to concrete to lagares Maturation typically in large French oak barrels - some use traditional Portuguese oak toneis - others use foudres

Answer 14

Mainly Baga (some are blends of Baga) Touriga Nacional Alfrocheiro Jaen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Answer 15

min 50% Baga min 85% of any blend Baga, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Camarate

Answer 16

Maria Gomes (Fernao Pires in other parts of Portugal) - early ripening - can produce high yields - citrus, floral aroma - loses acidity fast (otherwide med+) Bical - early ripening, peach, tropical - loses acidity fast (otherwise med+) Arinto and Cercial - may be used to blend in for acidity Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay Inexpensive wines from sandy soils, fermented in steel and released early Mid-priced and premium sourced from clay-limestone soils and fermented/matured in oak

Answer 17

Cooperatives and merchants are common Also produces traditional method sparkling wines VR Beira Atlantico can be used - boundaries extend beyond Bairrada DOC

Answer 18

Algarve's mountains to the south Mediterranean climate - hot, dry summers - low to moderate rainfall - irrigation widely used Mostly plains and gentle slopes, with some mountains 8 non-contiguous sub-regions Alentejano VR - used by producers outside the 8 sub-regions Wide range of soils - granite, schist, limestone with varying texture Mostly double cordon with VSP

Answer 19

Vinho de Talha DOC Talha = amphora

Answer 20

Portalegre - in the north, where it's less hot and dry - over 800m high - fresher, higher acidities - unlike most of Alentejo, vineyards tend to be small

Answer 21

Mostly blends (75% red) Reds range from fruity and early-drinking to super-premium and age-worthy Aragonez Alicante Bouschet (color, acidity, tannins) Trincadeira (susceptible to rot.. contributes red and black berry) Touriga Nacional (adds tannin and acidity) Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot (increasing) Whites can be steel-fermented or oak-fermented for longer aging Roupeiro (retains acidity well.. citrus and stone fruit) Antão Vaz (drought tolerant.. can lack acidity) Arinto (Pedernã in Vinho Verde) Chardonnay Viognier Alvarinho

Answer 22

Accounts for 40% of all domestic sales in Portugal 20% of total Portugese export (Brazil, Angola) Area of larger holdings - well suited to cost-effective, high-volume mechanized viticulture (dry, flat, warm) - relatively young vineyards Strongly focused on tourism - cellar doors - proximity to Lisbon - often producing range of other products (ham, olive oil)

Answer 23

Serra de Montejunto splits the region into two areas - west influenced by Atlantic - wet and windy, clay-limestone soils (lighter styles) - east is more protected, riper fuller wines

Answer 24

Wide range of native and international varieties - Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Arinto - Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir Alenquer DOC - eastern side of mountains - Full bodied Touriga Nacional and Aragonez Bucelas DOC - eastern side of mountains - high acid wines from Arinto (must be min 75% Arinto) Colares DOC - coastal region - cool, foggy - ungrafted old bush vines on phylloxera-free sandy soils - atracting producers to make fresh, high acid red and whites from local grapes

Answer 25

Most of the production comes from Lisboa VR - 'Lisboa' is more recognisable term than names of the sub-regions Significant proportion of wine sold without GI

Answer 26

Mediterranean climate Mostly flat and sandy Mountains in south provide cooling influence from altitude - clay-limestone soils Palmela DOC - mainly red wines - must be min 67% Castelão - deep, full-bodied, red berry fruit, often oaked - ageworthy on warm sandy plains, lighter on limestone slopes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah Setúbal DOC - sweet fortified wines from Moscatel Península de Setúbal VR - allows more flexibility

Answer 27

Tejo river runs through it In the past production was focused on volume - fertile riverbanks = high yields - New plantings of higher quality grapes (after vine pull scheme) Name of both DOC and larger VR - both allow a range of local and international varieties - Trincadeira, Castelão, Aragonez - Mostly fruity, early drinking

Answer 28

Mediterranean climate North - slightly more rainfall - clay-limestone - mostly reds Around the river: - fertile soils - vigor needs to be managed - mostly whites South - hottest, driest - poor sandy soil - reds and whites