Portugal

Question 1

How much ha are planted with vines in Portugal?

Answer 1

190,000 ha, considerable decline since country joined EU, since focus is on higher quality planting material and sites

Question 2

What are three most planted red varieties in Portugal?

Answer 2

Tempranillo, Touriga Franca, Castelão

Question 3

What are three most planted white varieties in Portugal?

Answer 3

Fernão Pires, Roupeiro, Arinto

Question 4

What is the Portuguesse term for PDO wines?

Answer 4

Denominação de Origem Protegida (DOP). Traditional term was Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC)

Question 5

What is the Portuguesse term for PGI wines?

Answer 5

Vinho Regional (VR). There are 14 VRs in Portugal

Question 6

What is the biggest wine company in Portugal?

Answer 6

Sogrape, with an annual revenue that exceeds the total of the next seven biggest producers combined.

Question 7

What is the name of Vinho Regional for Vinho Verde region?

Answer 7

Minho, identical boundaries, though its production is much smaller than that of Vinho Verde.

Question 8

Majority of varieties grown in Vinho Verde are of which color?

Answer 8

80 per cent white, 15 per cent red and 5 per cent rosé. Big change considering that in the late 1960s, over 80 per cent of production was red wines.

Question 9

Name three most important white varieties in Vinho Verde?

Answer 9

Loureiro, Pedernã, and Alvarinho (Albariño)

Question 10

Name most important red variety in Vinho Verde?

Answer 10

Vinhão (called Sousão in the Douro) is by far the most planted black grape variety, producing deeply coloured wines with cherry fruit and characteristic high acidity.

Question 11

Describe typical white wine from Vinho Verde DOC?

Answer 11

Low in alcohol and medium (+) to high in acidity with apple, citrus and/or peach flavours, depending on the grape varieties used. Some wines may have a small amount of residual sugar. Carbon dioxide is often added at bottling to give a light spritz.

Question 12

Name the only sub-region in Vinho Verde DOC that can name Alvarinho on their labels as a single variety?

Answer 12

Monção e Melgaço. Producers from other subregions must declassify their wine to Minho VR if they wish to label their wine as a single varietal Alvarinho.

Question 13

How much ha are planted with vines in Porto?

Answer 13

Around 38,000 ha are registered for the production of DOC wines, either Porto DOC for fortified wines or Douro DOC for unfortified wines. By far the largest proportion is red wines (over 75 per cent of sales)

Question 14

Name three sub-regions of Douro region?

Answer 14

Baixo Corgo (coolest and wettest region), the Cima Corgo (warmer and drier), and the Douro Superior or Upper Douro (hot and arid).

Question 15

What are the most important grapes used for Douro DOC white wines?

Answer 15

Viosinho (full-bodied with floral notes and stone fruit, but can lack acidity), Rabigato (high acidity, citrus and floral), Gouveio (called Godello in Spain, medium (+) acidity, citrus and stone fruit) sometimes with Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) to enhance the intensity of aromas.

Question 16

What are the most important grapes used for Douro DOC red wines?

Answer 16

Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão. Douro wines are usually blends but single varietal wines, typically of Touriga Nacional or Tinta Roriz, can be found but are relatively rare.

Question 17

What is the name of Vinho Regional for Douro region?

Answer 17

VR Duriense, very small production, but is an option for producers who choose to use non-local varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Syrah.

Question 18

What are the most important grapes used for Dão DOC red wines?

Answer 18

Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen (Mencia) and Alfrocheiro, often blended but could be made as single varietal. Around 80 per cent of production in the region is of red wine. Overall, red wines from Dão tend to be less full-bodied and intense than those from the Douro, often with fresher flavours and higher acidity.

Question 19

What is the most important variety used for Bairrada DOC red wines?

Answer 19

Baga is the dominant black grape. It has high acidity and tannins with a medium body and cranberry, cherry and plum fruit. It can be astringent when young but becomes softer and more complex with bottle ageing.

Question 20

What are the most important varieties used for Bairrada DOC white wines?

Answer 20

Maria Gomes (most planted white variety in Portugal) and Bical. A number of international varieties are also allowed including Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Question 21

What are the most important varieties used for Alentejo DOC red wines?

Answer 21

Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira, often produced as a blend. Some international grape varieties are also permitted, and out of these Syrah is the most commonly used.

Question 22

What are the most important varieties used for Lisboa DOC red wines?

Answer 22

Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir

Question 23

What are the most important varieties used for Lisboa DOC white wines?

Answer 23

Arinto, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling

Question 24

Name two DOC appellations in Península de Setúbal?

Answer 24

Palmela DOC (red wines from Castelão) and Setúbal DOC (sweet, fortified wines from Moscatel varieties)

Question 25

What kind of wine is produced in Tejo region?

Answer 25

Range of Portuguese and international varieties made in a fruity style for early consumption.

Question 26

What is first area in Portugal to be officially demarcated for sparkling wines?

Answer 26

Távora - Varosa DOP. Center of sparkling wine production.

Question 27

What are synonyms for Tempranillo in Portugal?

Answer 27

Tinta Roriz and Aragonez

Question 28

What region is the main producer of traditional method sparkling wines in Portugal?

Answer 28

Bairrada. Both local grapes and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used.

Question 29

What part of Portugal used to be known as Estremadura?

Answer 29

Lisboa VR. It used to be known as Estremadura up to 2009 when the name changed to Lisboa

Question 30

Sandy, phylloxera-free soils and ungrafted vines are found in what part of Lisboa?

Answer 30

Colares DOP. It is famous as much for its sandy; phylloxera-free soils and ungrafted vines as the robust; tannic red wine it produces from Ramisco grapes which is out of fashion these days.

Question 31

What is best wine from Setubal DOP?

Answer 31

Setubal is known for its fortified wines; although these lie in the significant shadow of their more famous northern counterparts of Porto. Principal variety is Moscatel de Setubal (aka Muscat of Alexandria).

Question 32

Portuguese word for White wine?

Answer 32

Vinho Branco

Question 33

What is the name for Mencía in Dão?

Answer 33

Jaen, producing full-bodied red wine. Raspberry and black cherry flavors with moderately high acidity and mouth-drying tannin.

Question 34

On Portuguese wine label what means Quinta?

Answer 34

Farm, estate, property. Wines designated with “Quinta” may only be made of grapes coming from that specific property;