Portugal Flashcards
Portugal
Portugal
Portugal winemaking history
Tagus and Sado valleys 2,000 BCE
Alliance with England - major wine supplier
19th and 20th century
- Portugese Civil War
- Phylloxera
- Cooperatives were given preferential rights
- Badly equipped and run - high volumes of poor wines
- Mateus Rose, Lancers Rose (40% of exports)
Democracy and EU
- cease of trade restrictions
- low-interest loans - encouragement of investment
- no more government protection for cooperatives
- modernization
- research programmes
- pulling up high-producing vineyards replacing with higher quality material and sites
Portugal growing environment
topography and soil
Rolling hills and plains
Soils
- significant variations
- Mountain regions - schist and granite
- South - more variation - clay, limestone, sand
- fertile alluvial soils around riverbanks (Tejo)
Portugal climate
Strongly infuenced by Atlantic (cool rainy weather)
More continetal climate inland
- protection of mountain ranges
- warmer, drier, south
Hazards
- drought (especially inland)
- extreme weather events - hail, storms, wildfires
- Wet weather in coastal regions - fungal diseases
- Esca and European grapevine moth
Portugal viticulture
Majority pruned and trained
- cordon or replacement-cane and VSP trellised
- significant number of old bush vines (Duoro, Alentejo)
- mixed vineyards, producing ‘field blends’
Irrigation allowed
- most do not need to apply for authorization
- Generally only if lack of water lowers quality
- cannot be used for boosting yield
Low proportion of certified organic vinayards
- some practise organic but do not certify
Grape varieties in Portugal
Growing tendency to return to local varieties
Majority of wines are blends
Aragonez/Tinta Roriz Touriga Franca Touriga Nacional Fernão Pires/Maria Gomes (white) Castelão Trincadeira Baga Loureiro (white) Arinto/Pedemã (white) Syrah Roupeiro Alicante Bouschet
Regions which do not allow international varieties in Portugal
Douro
Dao
Vinho Verde
Regions relying on international varieties as part of their export strategy
Alentejo
Lisboa
Tejo
Portugal winemaking
Mostly blends
Admission to EU started large modernization
- protective techniques
- temperature control, de-stemming
- French oak (primary type of oak)
Traditional techniques
- large Portugese oak (3,000-6,000l) and Brazilian hardwood toneis
- more restrained use of oak and larger format
- new foudres (around 2,000-2,500L)
- chestnut barrels
Lagares - regularly practised
Fermenting wine in clay vessels
Pre-fermentation skin contact for Portugese whites
- growth in natural wines
Primary oak used in Portugal
French
size of foudre
between 2,000 ad 2,500 litres
Portugese wine law
as member of EU follows PDO and PGI system
DOC/DOP (denominação de origem controlada/protegida)
- 31 DOCs
- each its own regulations om growing, winemaking
- all wines must be officially tested, tasted and approved
VR (Vinho Regional)
- PGI wines
- 14 VRs
- often permit international varieties
Vinho
- no PGI or PDO status
Wine business in Portugal general
Grape growing represents 35% of total national agricultural output (highest in the world)
Land of small holdings
- in the past most growers were selling to negociants
- Sogrape - largest in Portugal
- increasing number of growers produce their own wine (Quinta/Herdade)
Trend of small winemakers who do not own land who select vineyards from where they source their grapes
9th largest export producer
- steady growth in volume and value of unfortified wine
- France, Angola, Germany, UK
Promotional body Wines of Portugal
Significant raise in tourism and growth in average income
Portugese name for estate wine
Quinta or Herdade
Portugese wine regions
Vinho Verde Douro Dão Bairrada Alentejo \+ Vinho de Talha DOC Lisboa - Alenquer DOC - Bucelas DOC - Arinto DOC - Colares DOC Peninsula de Setubal - Palmela DOC - Setubal DOC Tejo DOC / VR
Vinho Verde
topography
River Minho (west) and Douro (south) Mountains of Peneda-Gerês National Park (east)
Mostly granitic bedrock with shallow topsoil of granite and sandy texture - good drainage
- low fertility
- fertilizers commonly used
PGI region (VR) for Vinho Verde
Minho
Vinho Verde
climate and viticulture
Moderate maritime climate
- Atlantic coast
- network of rivers funnelling Atlantic winds inland
- land gradually raises inland (soils become poorer)
- inland more continental (warmer, drier)
- high rainfall (1.500mm)
- marked vintage variation
Fungal disease problems
- rot, mildew
- vines are usually trained high (even up the trees)
- single or double Guyot with VSP or Lyre
- importance of summer pruning techniques
Vinho Verde grape varieties
Large change from red to white dominated
Loureiro Pedernã Alvarinho Avesso Trajadura
Loureiro
Loureira in Spain
Mostly grown by the coast (Vinho Verde)
Mid ripening
Med+ acidity, citrus, pear, floral, herbal notes
Pedernã
Local name for Arinto in Vinho Verde
mid ripening, relatively productive
Less aromatic, subtle citrus and apple and high acidity
Alvarinho
(Albarino in Spain)
Citrus, peach, sometimes tropical flavours
Med+ body, med+ to high acidity
Admitted as named grape variety on the label since 2016
Avesso
late ripening (can fail to ripen unless very warm and dry)
Lower in acidity, relatively full bodied
Citrus and stone fruit
Trajadura
(Treixadura in Rias Baixas Spain)
low in acidity with apple and peach flavours
Usually blended with more acidic varieries
Winemaking in Vinho Verde
Inexpensive wines
- protective winemaking
- cool fermentation
- bottled fast after release
- carbon dioxide often added to give light spritz
- low alcohol, high acidity, apple, citrus, peach
- some may have residual sugar
Higher priced wines
- Mostly old oak for ferment and/or maturation
- may age on lees
Vinho Verde legal requirements
Name of sub-region may appear on the label
Min alcohol 9.5%
- (8.5% without sub-region)
Monção and Melgaço
- only sub-regions able to label single varietal Alvarinho
- other regions must declassify to Minho VR to label single varietal Alvarinho
- other regions can label Alvarinho (min 30% of blend) along other varieties of the blend
Single varietal Alvarinho from Monção and Melgaço
requirement
lower max yield than rest of Vinho Verde
Min alcohol 11.5%
Only Monção and Melgaço sub-regions can name Alvarinho on their labels as single variety
- other regions must declassify to Minho VR to label single varietal Alvarinho
- other regions can label Alvarinho (min 30% of blend) along other varieties of the blend
Wine business in Vinho Verde
- Producers
- export
- market composition
Very fragmented - many growers
- most deliver to coops or merchants
Producers - Anselmo Mendes and Quinta de Soalheiro
Gradually growing export 40%
- Germany, USA
Douro
- DOC for fortified and unfortified wines
Porto DOC - fortified
Douro DOC - unfortified
Fernando Nicolau de Almeida
- first Douro red wine
Used to work at Ferreira Port
After visit at Bordeaux pioneered first vintage of Barca Velha 1952
- cooling fermentation with ice
- experimentation with fermentations of still wines
- Settled on Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
- now super-premium priced wine
Douro DOC established in 1982
Douro climate
(also in consideration of sub-regions)
+ soil
Follows Douro river
- number of aspects and microclimates
Serra do Marão (west)
- shielding from Atlantic
- warm continental climate
3 sub-regions
- Baixo Corgo - coolest, wettest
- Cima Corgo - warmer, drier
- Douro Superior - hot and arid
Schist bedrock, Low organic matter and stony texture
- stores little water
- splits into vertical layers - roots can spread through
- hillsides are not set for irrigation (irrigation is allowed but grower must notify it)
Sub-regions of Douro DOC
- Baixo Corgo - coolest, wettest
- Cima Corgo - warmer, drier
- Douro Superior - hot and arid (not so planted)
Irrigation in Douro
Most vineyards are not set with irrigation systems
since 2019 irrigation is allowed when hydric stress jeopardises quality and vineyard in located in authorised area.
Producer needs to notify it
Douro grape varieties
Usually blends
Similar to Port production
Touriga Nacional Touriga Franca Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) Tinta Barroca Tinta Cão Sousão Viosinho Rabigato Gouveio Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)
Vineyard layouts in Douro
Steep slopes (often over 30%)
Socalcos
- Traditional (UNESCO protected)
- narrow terraces, supported by walls of dry rock
- 6.000 vines per ha
- not suitable for mechanization (+ maintanance)
- cannot be converted to other layouts
Patamares
- terraces supported by steep earth ramp
- Small tractors are able to run up and down the slopes
- cheaper to implement and maintain
- erosion and weeds
- low planting densities (up to 3.500 vines per ha)
- ramps take a lot of space
- Large, wide - supporting 2 vine rows
- efficient use of land, uneven ripeness
- Large, wide - supporting 2 vine rows
- Narrow - one row of vine tilted towards the slope
- improved water absorption and drainage, less erosion
- Narrow - one row of vine tilted towards the slope
Vinha ao Alto
- vertical rows up the slopes
- least expensive option
- relatively high density (5.000 vines per ha)
- above 40% mechanization cannot be used
- water run-off, erosion
- not very used
- cover crops may be used (erosion)
Socalcos - Vineyard layout
- Traditional (UNESCO protected)
- narrow terraces, supported by walls of dry rock
- 6.000 vines per ha
- not suitable for mechanization (+ maintanance)
- cannot be converted to other layouts
Patamares - Vineyard layout
- terraces supported by steep earth ramp
- Small tractors are able to run up and down the slopes
- cheaper to implement and maintain
- erosion and weeds
- low planting densities (up to 3.500 vines per ha)
- ramps take a lot of space
- currently the prefered system
2 kinds:
Large, wide - supporting 2 vine rows
- efficient use of land, uneven ripeness
Narrow - one row of vine tilted towards the slope
- improved water absorption and drainage
- less erosion
Vinha ao Alto - Vineyard layout
- vertical rows up the slopes
- least expensive option
- relatively high density (5.000 vines per ha)
- above 40% mechanization cannot be used
- water run-off, erosion
- not very used
- cover crops may be used (erosion)
Vineyard management in Douro (except layouts)
Cordon-trained and spur-pruned
or
Head-trained and cane-pruned
- VSP trellised
Summer pruning
- leaf removal
- rootstocks tolerant to drought
- 110R and 1103P (hybrids of rupestris and berlandieri)
Douro
when replanting the focus is on:
Increasing vine density
vineyard layouts that allow mechanization
best planting material (grape variety, rootstock etc.)
Douro viti hazards
Late spring frost in high altitude vineyards
Wet weather during early summer
Downy mildew and botrytis bunch rot
- canopy management, fungicides
Fertilizers may be necessary
Herbicides may be used
Lack of labour for harvest
Touriga Franca
late ripening
- suitable on warmest sites (low altitude, south facing)
Tight bunches of thick-skinned grapes
- relative resistance to fungal diseases
Can be vigorous
- needs to be managed
- summer pruning
Retains acidity well
Contributes colour, tannins and acidity
Juicy red and black fruit, floral aroma
Medium body, med alcohol
Touriga Nacional
Mid-ripening
Thick-skinned grapes
- deep colour
- high tannins
Retains acidity well
Can suffer from excessive vigour - needs to be managed
Susceptible to coulure
Concentrated flavours, high level of colour and tannins
- black fruit and floral - rose, violet, orange blossom
- long ageing potential
- often premium wines
Tinta Roriz
(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
Tinta Barroca
Early ripening
- best planted on cool sites (high altitude, north facing)
Prone to heat damage and grape shrivelling
Unless on cool sites - can lack acidity
Tends to be earthy
Colour tends to fade quickly
Capable of high yields
Tinta Cão
Ripens late
Low yielding, very drought tolerant
- concentrated wines with high acidity
- capable to age well
Small thick-skinned berries
- resistant to fungal diseases
Sousão
Thick-skinned berries
- deep colour
- ability to retain high acidity
brings in freshness to the blend
Portugese term for old vines
Vinha velha
Grape varieties for white wine in Douro and their characters
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
- planted on coolest sites
Douro DOC winemaking
still red, rose or white, also sparkling wine
red over 75%
Often blend of sites to work with vintage variations
Sometimes field blend of old vine fruit (vinhas velhas)
- all Port houses make dry wine
- best: Prats & Symington, Quinta do Vale Meão
Usually destemmed (additional tannin rarely needed)
Stainless with temp control
- relatively cool for reds 24-28 degrees
- tannin control
- some producers still use lagares (or may start ferment there)
- easier to control extraction level than in tank
Post-ferment maceration for premium wine (soften tannin)
- typically large oak vessel
- Portugese oak, barriques, French oak prefered
- less new oak preference and large oak comeback
Premium whites tend to be afed in oak (new or old)
Wine business Douro DOC
Port 60% of production
23 cooperatives (inexpensive wines)
Beneficio controls prices and volumes of Port
- does not touch Douro wines
- prices are influence by the market
Price of grapes for Douro DOC are below Porto DOC
- in years of surplus prices drop even further (often below production costs)
Domestic market 63% of sales
Dão DOC declassified wines
VR Terras do Dão
Dão DOC
climate
Soils and hazards
surrounded by mountains
- protecting from cool maritime weather (west)
- protected from arid conditions (east, south)
Mediterranean climate
- warm, dry summers, mild winters
- relatively high rainfall 1600mm (autumn, winter)
Number of hills, valleys, mountain ranges
- varied altitude and aspects (400-500m)
- pine and eucalyptus forests
Only 5% planted with vines
Weathered granite with sandy or loamy textrue
- low nutrients
- free draining
- constaining vigour
- water stress can be problem
Hail during summer, spring frosts below mountains
Dão DOC Grape varieties and winemaking
around 80% red wine
Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro
- often blended
- often less full bodied than Douro
- Jean sometimes carbonic
- ageing in oak is common (new is typical)
- good to outstanding
Encruzado
- key variety for white wines
- medium (medium+) acidity, can be full bodied, lemon, peach, flora
- neutral ferment or oak and maturation in oak
- sometimes lees stirring
- capable of ageing well
Other white varieries:
- Malvasia Fina
- Bical
- Cercial
Jaen
Mencia in Spain
(grown in Dão)
moderate acidity, raspberry, blackberry
Sometimes made by carbonic maceration
Wine business in Dão
area of small vineyard holdings
Cooperative Sogrape led the way in producing higher quality wines in all price points
Growing number of quality minded producers
- Vinha Paz, Quinta da Pellada
Only 15-20% exported
Bairrada
climate and soils
viticulture
Maritime climate
- generous rainfall 800-1200mm
Fertile alluvial soils in west
Limestone-clay slopes in south
High trained individually staked bush vines
- recent plantings are trellised (Guyot)
Baga
Black grape variety dominating Bairrada region
High acidity and tannins, medium body
Cranberry, plum
Can be astringent when young, but softer and more complex with bottle ageing.
Base for Mateus Rose (previously used for high yields)
Late ripening and productive - careful site selection to ensure full ripeness - best on limestone-clay - optimum water - photosynthesis can stop in drought - limestone reflects light to vines - green harvesting may be carried (fruit can go to sparkling wine production)
Traditionally fermented on stems
- long ageing required
- now wines are de-stemmed
Other red grape varieties in Bairrada
Mainly Baga (some are blends of Baga)
Touriga Nacional Alfrocheiro Jaen Camarate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Baga classico requirements
min 50% Baga
min 85% of any blend Baga, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Camarate
White wines in Bairrada
+ descriptions of varieties
Maria Gomes (Fernao Pires in other parts of Portugal)
- early ripening
- Can produce high yields
- Citrus, floral aroma
- looses acidity fast (otherwide med+)
Bical
- early ripening, peach, tropical
- looses acidity fast (otherwide med+)
Arinto and Cercial
- apple and citrus
- may be used to blend in for acidity
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
Maria Gomes
The most planted white grape in Portugal
early ripening
Can produce high yields
Citrus, floral aroma
- looses acidity fast (otherwise med+)
Leading region for production of sparkling wine
Bairrada
Wine business in Bairrada
Cooperatives and merchants are common
Baga Friends
- high quality wines organization for Baga grape
Alentejo DOC
climate
Soils
Training system
Algarve mountains to the south
8 sub-regions
Mediterranean climate
- 500-800mm of rain
- irrigation widely used
Plains and gentle slopes, mountains in north, south and east
Wide range of soils
- granite, schist, limestone with varying texture
Mostly double cordon with VSP
One of most sparsely populated areas in Portugal
DOC for aphorae fermented wines in Alentejo
Vinho de Talha DOC
Talha = amphora
Alentejo’s most famous sub-region
Portalegre
- less hot and dry
- over 800m high
- fresher, higher acidities
- small, orchard like vineyards
- significant number of old field blend vineyards
Alentejo grape varieties and winemaking
Mostly blends (75% red)
Aragonez (Tinta Roriz, Tempranillo) Alicante Bouschet Tricadeira Touriga Nacional Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot
Roupeiro Antão Vaz Arinto (Pedernã in Vinho Verde) Chardonnay Viognier Alvarinho
Producers in Alentejo
Cartuxa and Mouchão
Alentejo wine business
37% domestic sales
20% of total Portugese export
Area of large holdings
- well suited to cost-effective, high-volume mechanized viti
- relatively young vineyards
Strongly focused on Tourism
- cellar doors
- proximity to Lisbon
- often producing range of other products (ham, olive oil)
Lisboa
Climate and topology
Serra de Montejunto splits the region into two areas
- west influenced by Atlantic
- wet and windy, clay-limestone soils (lighter styles)
- east more protected, riper fuller wines
Lisboa region smaller DOCs
Alenquer DOC
- eastern side of mountains
- Full bodied Touriga Nacional and Aragonez
Boucelas 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
- Phylloxera free sandy soils
- atracting producers to make fresh, high acid red and whites from local grapes
Lisboa Wine business
+ producers
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
Producers: Quinta de Chocapalha, Quinta do Monte d’Oiro
Península de Setúbal
Mediterranean climate
Mountains in south provide cooling influence
- clay-limestone soils
Mostly flat, sandy, clay and schist more inland
2 DOCs
Palmela DOC
- mainly red wines
- must be min 67% Castelão (also known as Periquita)
- deep, full bodied, red berry fruit, often oaked
- ageworthy on sand, light on limestone
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Setúbal DOC
- sweet fortified wines from Moscatel
Península de Setúbal VR
- allows more flexibility
Producers: Jose Maria da Fonseca, Bacalhoa Vinhos\
Tejo
After Tejo river
In the past production was focused on volume
- fertile riverbanks - high yields
- New plantings on of higher quality grapes (after pull-up scheme)
Mediterranean climate
- wet winters 750mm
Large range of local and international varieties
Producers: Quinta da Alorna, Fuiza & Bright
