Portugal Flashcards
What is Portugal’s most planted white variety?
Fernão Pires
Accounting for 13,000 hectares
Grown in Tejo, Lisboa and Bairrada (where it is called Maria Gomes)
Designed to be drunk young
Intensely aromatic, floral and citrus (tangerine, oranges) notes
Found as single varietal and in blends
As a still, sparking and a sweet wine
Fernão Pires is frost sensitive and best suited to warm or hot climates
Prefers fertile soils and gives high yields
What isolated Portugal from the rest of the wine world in the 20th Century?
The Salazar dictatorship (1932-1972) which promoted co-operatives
Portugal joined the EU (then the EEC) in 1986
What was founded in 1937 in Portugal?
The Junta Nacional do Vinho (JNV) which initiated a state run programme of cooperatives.
Over 100 co-ops were created in less than 20 years. Mostly in Northern Portugal and many deemed inflexible and winemaking standards deteriorated.
Why were cooperatives historically so important in Portugal?
Under the dictatorship of Salazar, cooperatives were promoted and over 100 created in 20 years
What was planted widely in Portugal post Phylloxera?
High yielding, Direct Producers or French Hybrids which still are planted in some small holdings in north and central Portugal
What is the hierarchy of wine classifications in Portugal?
Denominaçã de Origem Controllada (DOC) - Equivalent to appellation contrólée
Indicaçao de Proviniência Regulamentada (IPR)
Vinho Regional (Equivalent to Vin de Pays)
Vinho de Mesa - for table wines
Which quality designation is especially important to innovative winemakers working with international varieties in Portugal?
The 14 different Vinho Regional designations
What does Garrafeira refer to?
A term used in Portugal
Certain red or white wines from exceptional vintages with high alcohol and a longer maturation period
Can apply to all wines not just DOC label. Must meet Reserva criteria. Plus be aged for at least 2 years in cask, one year in bottle for reds and six month cask and six month bottle for whites
What does the term Reserva mean in Portugal?
Term indicates a wine from a single vintage, tasted by a panel and must have more than the minimum alcohol stated for the DOC
Where is Vinho Verde DOC?
In north west Portugal
Bound to the north by River Minho and Spanish border and to south by River Douro
Stretches from the coast to 90km inland
What is the biggest wine region in Portugal?
Vinho Verde DOC
What two rivers frame the Vinho Verde Region?
The Minho to the north and the Douro to the South
How did Portuguese wine benefit from EU membership?
It’s accession into the EU (EEC) in 1986
Meant monopolistic legislation was overturned
Relaxation of state intervention and bureaucracy
Increase of grants and low interest loans
Greater investment in modern technology
Increase number of single estates/quintas
What is the climate in Vinho Verde?
Maritime
Warm in Summer, high rainfall, mainly in summer but often at harvest
Atlantic winds bring in plenty of rain
What increases the chance of rot in Vinho Verde?
Rain that falls in summer and during harvest due to proximity to Atlantic
What is the soil in Vinho Verde?
Granite bedrock, sand and granite top soil
How are vines planted in Vinho Verde?
Trained high, traditionally on pergolas to reduce rot and make way for mixed farming
Recent plantings are wire trained with double cordon.
How many producers are there in Vinho Verde?
19,000 for some 21,000 ha 11% of Portugal’s total vineyard areas
Holdings are small
How much of Portugal’s total vineyard area is Vinho Verde?
11% at 21,000ha
What does Vinho Verde mean?
Green wine
But it refers to youth of a wine not the colour, to be enjoyed within year of harvest
Nearly half of production is red
White whine must be light and low (under 11.5%) in alcohol unless made using Albariño when more like 13%
What is style of Vinho Verde?
Vinho Verde can be red, rose and white
If white Vinho Verde made using Loureiro, Treixadura and Arinto
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Straw coloured, slightly effervescent
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Aromatic, Green apple, grapefruit, lime
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light body
Low in alcohol
Razor sharp acidity
What is the style of Vinho Verde made from Alvarinho?
Only permitted for DOC if grown in Moncão to the North
Higher alcohol, 13% alcohol Light sharp Fuller and richer Green apple and tropical fruits No CO2
Which Sub region can include Alvarinho in DOC wines in Vinho Verde?
Moncão to the north, bordering on Spain
What white grapes can be used for Vinho Verde?
Loureiro
Treixadura (Trajadura)
Arinto
Alvarinho (Minão only)
What red grapes can be used in Vinho Verde?
Vinhão (Sousao)
Azal Tinto (Amaral)
Espadeiro
What grape is used for the best White Vinho Verdes?
Alvarinho only in the north Moncão and often single quintas, higher alcohol (13% vs 11.5% permitted for Loureiro, Treixadura and Arinto) and no CO2
How many sub-regions does Vinho Verde have?
9 the most famous is Monção, the most northerly which borders Spain, where Alvarinho can be grown
Where is Douro DOC?
Portugal, among Douro river
North East Portugal
Sheltered from the Atlantic by the Marão and Montenuro mountains
What is the soil in Douro DOC?
Table wines tend to be planted on granite soils
Grapes for Port on schist
What is the climate in Douro?
Continental
Hotter summers and colder winters than coastal regions
What is the style of Douro reds?
Reminiscent of Port
Ripe fruits, herbs and peppery spice
Full body, firm tannins and lively acidity
What are the key grape varieties in Douro DOC?
Similar to Port
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
Touriga Barroca
Tempranillo (Tinta Roriz)
Cab Sav used in Vinho Regional wines
What once set the amount of still wine to be made in Douro DOC?
Each vintage a limit is set for Port production and excess harvest is made into unfortified wine
Now many vineyards are dedicated to high quality, unfortified wine production rather than Port
Where is Dão?
South of the Douro in Portugal
80km inland
South of Vinho Verde, north central Portugal
Where are vines planted in Dão?
200-400m above sea level on a plateau
Sheltered on all sides by granitic mountain ranges of Serra deal Estrela, Serra do Caramulo and Serra da Nave
What are the key grapes in Dão and what styles of wine do they make?
Jaen (Mencía) deeply coloured, fruity and lighter in tannins than most Portuguese reds
Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Supply tannins, acids and concentrated fruit to blends
Encruzado - full bodied and nutty white wine
What is resulting in fresher and fruitier styles of red wine in Dão?
Shorter periods of fermentation and cask ageing
Traditional Dão reds can be overly dry and tannic
What Portuguese wine region is derived from the Portuguese word for clay?
Bairrada in central Portugal on the coast
It is famed for its limestone rich clay soils, Bairro being the Portuguese word for clay
Why did the First Minister of Portugal, Marquês de Pombal, order the uprooting of all vines in Bairrada?
Over concern Bairrada wine was being passed off or blended with Port in the mid 18th Century
It took a long while for Bairrada to recover from this near fatal assault
What is the principle variety in Bairrada, Portugal?
Baga
Baga wines are late ripening and deeply coloured, highly acidic, very tannic and with dominant notes of peppery black currant fruit.
They are sometimes made leas astringent by blending with Touriga Nacionale and other varieties such as Merlot and Pinot Noit
The best can develop considerable complexity with age
Other black varieties from Bairrada include Castelão (Periquita) and Rufeyez
White is often sparkling and made with Fernão Pires (Maria Gomes) and Bical, a local white grape giving high acid, nutty wines
Why are Baga wines sometimes brought in early?
To prevent rot. Baga is a large ripening variety. In the event of early autumn rains which could cause rot, Baga is often needed to be brought in early
What is the climate in Bairrada?
Damp, rainy maritime
What are the wines in Bairrada?
Usually 100% Baga, dark tannic, acidic red
Also Bical a local white grape giving high acid, nutty wines
Why is Bairrada’s Baga said to be similar to Nebbiolo?
Shares similar characteristics, restrained fruit, high acidity and high tannin.
Tannin tends to be quite harsh, traditionally fermented with stalks and highly tannic needing decades to be approachable
Modern styles are less tannic, high in acidity with pepper and berry flavours
Where is Ribatejo?
The Ribatejo ‘banks of Tagus’ lies to the NE of Lisbon
The DOC Tejo is divided into six sub regions
Where do most vineyards lie in Ribatejo?
On alluvial river plains
What is the most notable black variety in Ribatejo?
Castelão (Periquita) which at its best can yield structures, long lived wines with crisp acidity and notes of red berries, spice and game
What is grown on the fertile alluvial plains of Ribatejo?
Large yields of Fernão Pires - neutral white for local market and Castelão Frances (Periquita) red with crisp acidity, raspberry fruit and firm tannin
What are the three major wine regions in Northern Portugal?
Vinho Verde
Douro
Dão
What are the two major wine regions in Central Portugal?
Bairrada
Ribatejo
What are the two main wine regions in Southern Portugal?
Palmela - Setúbal peninsula
Alentejo
Where is the Portuguese wine region of Palmela?
On the Setúbal peninsula in Southern Portugal
Between Tagus and Sado rivers near the coast
What is the climate in Palmela, Portugal?
Warm maritime climate with mild winters and warm summers
Adequate rainfall mostly in winter and spring
What is the soil generally in Palmela, Portugal?
Principally limestone soils on the hills and sand on the plains
How are vines trained in Palmela, Portugal?
Mostly low trained in wires to allow for mechanisation
How are wines fermented in Palmela, Portugal?
Stainless steel and temperature control is now widely used
Old and new oaks for ageing
Which international grape is permitted in the Palmela DOC Portugal?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Along with Perquita
Where is Alentejo?
Southern Portugal
Stretches from Ribatejo to the Spanish border (a large area)
What is the climate in Alentejo, Portugal?
Continental climate
Low rainfall and hot summers
How are vines traditionally trained in Alentejo, Portugal?
Low trained bush vines
New plantings trained to wire for mechanisation
Yields kept low
What is the style of Trincadeira/Tinta Amarela in Alentejo, Portugal?
Dark, Jammy, plummy wine with hints of chocolate and coffee. Enhanced by oak ageing
High alcohol
Notes of raspberry, herbs and plum
What is Tempranillo known as in Alentejo, Portugal?
Aragonez used for blending
What is the style of Roupiero and Antão Vaz in Alentejo, Portugal?
Both are full booted whites with flavours of honey. Some wines aged in oak to provide depth and complexity.
Often blended with Arinto, which adds crispness
What is Alentejo known for?
It’s Quercus Suber Cork production
What are the two dominant brands of Vinhos de Mesa in Portugal?
Mateus
Lancers
What area does VR Vinho Regionais cover?
The same area as Vinho Verde DOC but permits Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot and use of Alvarinho throughout rather than just in Moncão
What grapes are found in VR Ribatejano in Portugal?
Commercial quantities of non indigenous grapes particularly Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cab Sav and Syrah
Why has their been a great expansion of Vinhos Regionals in Portugal?
Allows flexibility of grapes to include international varieties
Increasing single estates using this category
