Portugal Flashcards
Describe the quality designation system of Portugal
DOC: Is Portugal’s version of AOPs from France. Similar to the EU’s DOP.
IGP: The EU denomination for regional wines, slowly replacing VR: Vinho Regional
Vinho (de Portugal): The basic EU denomination that is replacing Vinho de Mesa (table wine)
Give translations for these words on the label in Portugal:
Adega
Armarzém
Branco
Colheita
Doce
Adega = winery
Armarzém = cellar
Branco = white
Colheita = vintage
Doce = sweet
Give translations for these words on the label in Portugal:
Engarrafado (na origem)
Garrafeira
Maduro
Palhete
Quinta
Herdade
Engarrafado (na origem) = bottled (estate bottled)
Garrafeira = wine with extra ageing, literally a wine store
Maduro = old/mature
Palhete = traditional blend of red and white wine to make pink wine
Quinta = farm/estate
Herdade = southern equivalent of farm/estate
Give translations for these words on the label in Portugal:
Rosado
Seco
Tinto
Vinha
Vinhas Velhas
Rosado = rosé/pink
Seco = dry
Tinto = red
Vinha = vineyard
Vinhas Velhas = old vines
What is the process of mutage? (Beneficio in Portugal)
To arrest the fermentation by adding a spirit like brandy to the fermenting liquid. This way residual sugar is left in the liquid
What was Port nicknamed as by the British, when it was discovered in the Douro region by them?
Blackstrap
What is aguardente?
The brandy used to fortify Port with. 77% abv
“burning water” translation
Who manages the Port appellation and its regulations these days?
The IVDP:
The government-run Douro Port Wine Institute.
Describe the Vinhos de Roda
These were the Madeira wines that made the “torna viagem” (round trip) around the world to mature
Describe the Vinhos Canteiro
These were the Madeira wines that were matured on the island itself
Describe the estufagem process
The process that replaced the Madeira wines maturing on the ship across the world, making it much more practical.
It is a process that warms up the wine gently in the tank to simulate the “estufagem” (stewing) which they received on the boat
When were Portugal’s DOCs created and when were they additionally classified by EU standards?
Since 1986 the Portugese DOCs were created, after their admission into the EU.
They were additionally classified in 2009 as DOPs to maintain EU status.
What were the earliest demarcating actions in Portugal for wine regions?
1756 when the Douro was demarcated
Modern day: 1929, when Portugal introduced the Região Demarcada for Port, Vinho Verde and other regions.
How much of the grapes need to come from the region if the wine is labelled as an IGP in Portugal?
85%
What may a wine put on the label if produced as vintage-dated DOP/IGP with extra ageing requirements?
As garrafeira (“private wine cellar”), indicating a minimum period of aging prior to release
White & rosada: min. 12 months with 6 months in bottle
Red: Min. 36 months with 12 months in bottle
How much do garrafeira wines need to be aged?
Tinto/red: 36 months, of which 12 months in bottle
Branco/white & rosado/rosé: 12 months, of which 6 months in bottle
Vintage garrafeira Port: In cask 4-8 years, min. 15 years in glass container.
What is different in a wine labelled “reserva” in Portugal?
Still wines: It is at least 0.5% higher in allowed minimum abv than the DOP/IGP states
Sparkling wines: Traditional method has to be aged 12 months on the lees
What are the grapes used in Vinho Verde DOP?
White: Loureiro, Arinto/Pedernã, Alvarinho, Trajadura/Treixadura, Azal, Avesso
Red: Vinhão/Sousão
Which rivers pass through the Minho/Vinho Verde regions?
Minho
Lima
Tamega
Douro
What is something Minho/Vinho Verde producers do to try and mitigate the intense rainfall in the region?
Trellises to maximize ripeness of grapes rather than climbing up posts or trees (enforcado)
Planting other crops
Describe wines from Monção and Melgaço
These are the northernmost sub-regions of Vinho Verde, where hills shelter them from ocean influence, making it relatively dry and warm.
Very good Vinho Verde only made from Alvarinho is made here.
Describe wine from Lima
A sub-region in Vinho Verde, a little south of Monção and Melgaço.
Produces Loureiro-only white wines, very floral.
Also Avesso and Azal are made as varietal wines.
Describe the enforcado system
It is a traditional vine training system in Minho where vines would climb quite high on stakes, telephone poles, etc to create an overhead canopy, to mitigate grey rot. Mostly replaced by modern trellising.
What makes Vinho Verde red wines sometimes pétillant?
Malolactic fermentation
Where is Transmontano IGP?
North-east of Portugal
Which DOPs are located in Transmontano IGP?
Trás-ost-Montes
What are the sub-regions of the Trás-ost-Montes DOP?
Chaves
Valpaços
Planalto Mirandés
What is the IGP where the Douro Valley is located?
Duriense IGP
What is the typical soil of the Douro Valley?
Schist, with some granite
What does patamares mean?
Terraces in Portugese
What are the three sub-regions of the Douro Valley (west to east)
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo
Douro Superior
Name a table wine and port producer in the Douro Superior
Table wine: Barca Velha
Port: Quinta do Vesúvio
What is the mountain range called that protects the Douro Valley from Atlantic cloud rainfall?
Serra do Marão
What are vineyards recognised as the best for port?
Around and above the town of Pinhão (middle of Cima Corgo)
Around the tributaries of the Tedo, Távora, Torto, Pinhão, Tua, Roncão and Gontelho
What vineyards would classify the best for port wines?
Dry, south/west facing vineyards.
Are port vineyards classified? How?
Yes, each port vineyard is classified from A to F. (G, H and I can produce wine but not port)
According to natural advantages, together with ie. the age, density, training system.
The higher the classification, the higher the prices for the grapes.
What is the 12 point system called to classify a port/Douro vineyard?
Moreira do Fonseca
What grape varieties most regularly make port?
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Tinto Cão
Tinta Barroca
What grapes and style are increasingly being used in port?
Sousão (acidity!)
Malvasia Preta
Bastardo
Cornifesto
Alicante Bouschet
The traditional field blend style as well
What grapes are mostly used for white port?
Viosinho
Gouveio (Godello)
Malvasia
Rabigato
Name a distinguished producer of port and table wine in the Douro Valley
Niepoort
Name famous port producers
Taylor’s
Graham’s
Name a famous single-quinta port
Quinta do Noval
What do port-producers do to enhance pigment and tannin extraction?
Pigment and tannin extraction is not so good since the skins aren’t macerated for a long time, because the fermentation is halted.
Therefore, traditionally the people would stomp their feet in stone troughs (lagares) to extract it more heavily. Now it is done by computer-control.
What is the village called where port wines are matured?
Vila Nova de Gaia
Across the river from Oporto
What is the biggest difference between tawny and ruby ports?
Tawny ports are aged in barrel
Ruby ports are aged in bottle
What are the traditional casks in which Tawny and Colheita ports are matured?
What are vintage and LBV ports aged in?
Pipes: 550-600 liter barrels
Vintage and LBV: larger casks
Describe a vintage port
Is made only in exceptional (declared) years
Aged in cask until 30 July in the third year after harvest
What is Beneficio?
The fortification of wine with a spirit (aguardente). Port: 19-22% abv.
What size is a Pipe?
In Douro Valley: 550L
In Vila Nova de Gaia: 620L
For shipping port: 534.24L
When has it stopped being mandatory to age Ports in Vila Nova de Gaia?
1986
Describe LBV port
Late Bottled Vintage port
4-6 years in cask before bottling
Single vintage
Mix of mellow flavours of tawny and bright flavours of ruby port.
Is filtered before bottling so will not need decanting and does not really improve with bottle age
What is Envelhecido em Garrafa?
An indication for LBV port that is unfiltered and have an additional minimum of 3 years bottle age. Can rival vintage ports.
Describe Tawny Reserva ports
They have to age at least 7 years prior to bottling.
Still youthful with some rich creaminess from old Tawny
Describe the Tawny with age indication
They are labelled 10, 20, 30 etc. not according to how old the average blend is in the Tawny port, but how it tastes according to the IVDP tasting panel.
Describe Colheita Tawny port
A vintage dated port that spends at least 7 years in cask, but mostly will do for decades.
Some producers only bottle when an order is received
Colheita being harvest/vintage here
What DOPs are encompassed by the Duriense IGP?
Douro
Porto
What does licoroso mean?
fortified
What is another fortified wine produced in the Douro that is not port?
Moscatel do Douro
From Moscatel Galego
What DOPs are located within the Lisboa IGP?
Encostas de Aire
Lourinhã
Óbidos
Torres Vedras
Alenquer
Bucelas
Arruda
Colares
Carcavelos
Describe Colares DOP wine
Located in Lisboa IGP
White: Malvasia de Colares
Red: Very tannic from the Ramisco grape from ungrafted vines in sand
Further inland: Castelão reds grown on chao rijo (clay-limestone)
Describe Carcavelos DOP wine
Located in Lisboa IGP
Only Vinho Licoroso
Red: min. 75% Castelão and Preto Martinho
White: min. 75% Arinto, Gelgo Dourado and Ratinho
Fermented dry, fortified and sweetened with abafado.
Have to be aged 2 years in barrel and 6 months in bottle.
Describe Bucelas DOP wine
Located in the Lisboa IGP
Fruity, fresh white Arinto (min. 75%)
Describe Moscatel de Setúbal
Grown in the Setúbal DOP, Península de Setúbal IGP
A rich, pale-orange Muscat. Lightly fortified and highly perfumed.
Min. 67% Muscat of Alexandria/Moscatel Roxo.
Up to 6 months maceration
Minimum 18 months ageing
What does the Lourinhã DOP produce?
Only aguardente/grape brandy instead of wine.
What is the former name of Península de Setúbal?
Terras do Sado
What DOPs are in the Península de Setúbal IGP?
Setúbal DOP
Palmela DOP
What estuaries define the Península de Setúbal IGP?
Tagus/Tejo
Sado
What mountain range is in Palmela DOP and what soil does it give?
Arrábida
Clay-limestone
Describe Palmela DOP wines
Reds: Min. 66.67% Castelão, with pretty much all Portugese reds and Bordeaux blend allowed.
White: Typically Fernão Pires and Arinto, but pretty much all Portugese white + Bordeaux white are allowed
Rosado, licoroso and espumante are also allowed
Beiras IGP used to be a big province encompassing these current IGPs
Terras do Dão IGP
Terras de Cister IGP
Terras da Beira IGP
Beira Atlântico IGP
What DOPs are within Terras do Dão?
Dão DOP
Lafões DOP
Describe Dão DOP wines
All styles may be made
Red:
Mostly Touriga Nacional, has to have min 15% in Nobre, with max. 85% of Alfrocheiro, Aragonez, Jaen, Rufete.
Branco:
Mostly Encruzado, has to have min. 15% in Nobre, with max. 85% Bical, Cercial, Malvasia Fina, Verdelho
Describe Dão DOP Nobre wines
Need to have certain percentages in grapes allowed.
Nobre ageing: 1 year red, 6 months white
Nobre reserva: 42 months red, 1 year white
Nobre garrafeira: 48 months, incl 18 months bottle red, 18 months, incl 9 months bottle whites.
Describe Bairrada DOP wines
Mostly reds from mostly Baga, with Touriga Nacional, Camarate, Castelão, Jaen, Alfrocheiro
White, rosado, espumante and licoroso also allowed
Describe Bairrada Classico wines
They need to use the traditional grapes
Higher abv%
White: 1% higher, with 12 months ageing, of which 6 months bottle
Red: 1.5% higher, with 30 months ageing of which 12 in bottle
What is barros?
The clay soil in Bairrada where Baga thrives
Since when did the Bairrada DOP allow for grapes other than Baga in red wine?
2003
What is the Dão’s premier soil?
Granite & sand
What mountain ranges protect the Dão?
Serra da Estrela (highest mountain range in Portugal, protects from southeast)
Serra do Caramulo (shields from Atlantic)
What are the Dão’s most, second-most and third-most planted grapes?
Jaén (Mencía)
Touriga Nacional
Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
What is “the cathedral of wine” and where is it located?
Bussaco Palace Hotel.
Originally designed as a cathedral of wine to showcase the region.
What DOP is located in the Tejo IGP?
DoTejo DOP
Describe the DoTejo DOP
Formerly called Ribatejo
Red, white and rosado is produced from all grapes basically
White is mostly produced, mostly from Maria Gomas/Fernão Pires
Red: Mostly from Castelão
What DOP is located in the Alentejano IGP?
Alentejo DOP
What is the most promising sub-region within Alentejo DOP and why?
Portalegre.
Cooler, granitic slopes of the São Mamede mountains
Describe the Alentejo DOP wines
Mostly red of Trincadeira and Aragonês grapes
White of Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Arinto.
Rosado and licoroso also allowed
What are quercus suber?
Cork trees
Where are a lot of quercus suber plantings in Portugal?
In the Alentejano IGP
What DOPs are located within the Algarve IGP?
Describe their wines
Lagos, Lagoa, Portimão, Tavira
Red: Mostly Castelão and Tinta Negra Mole
White: Mostly Arinto and Síria
What are 4 of the most important sub-regions of Alentejo DOP?
Borba
Redondo
Reguengos
Vidigueira
Describe Talha wine
An Alentejo specialty wine which is fermented and aged in a large clay pot called a Talha.
Sealed in the pot under a layer of olive oil. Drunk from a tap in the base. These were not usually bottled .
It even became a DOC in 2010. But then it could be bottled.
What is abafado?
A portugese wine. A general term used for a wine which is fortified during its fermentation process with aguardente. (A Port not from Port)
Which Port House owns Quinta do Bomfim?
Dow’s
What is the most planted white variety in Portugal?
Fernão Pires
What is the legal minimum amount of Baga needed in Bairrada red?
Min. 50% Baga
List the 11 types of Port available on the market
White
Ruby
LBV
Vintage
Rosé
Colheita
Crusted
Garrafeira
Tawny
Reserva
Single Quinta Vintage
Describe a Crusted Port
A style of port which is similar to vintage port, only it is assembled of 2/3 excellent vintages.
It is aged max. 3 years on cask, then min. 2 years on bottle. It is unfiltered and therefore forms a “crust”/sediment in the bottle just like a vintage port.
AKA the poor man’s vintage port
What is Medieval de Ourém?
Red wine from Encostas d’Aire DOP
Consists of blending fermenting must of 80% Fernão Pires and 20% Trincadeira
What is the minimum abv% for white port?
16.5%
Which Port House owns Quinta do Seixo?
Sandeman
What are the two soils of Colares DOP?
Chão de Areia (sandy)
Chão Rijo (clay-limestone)
What are feitoria and rama?
Feitoria was the term used to describe the 335 best port vineyards in the 18th century
Rama was the lesser vineayrds
What are the ageing requirements for Moscatel do Douro Velho & Muito Velho?
Velho = min. 10 years
Muito Velho = min. 30 years
What is Quinta do Vesuvios port cuvee which is only produced in exceptional vintages?
Capela do Vesuvio. From the best vineyards from the best vintages only
