Portugal Flashcards
What subregion of Vinho Verde specializes in Alvarinho varietal wines?
Moncao and Melgaco, a region in the Northwest along the Minho river.
What is the Portugese equivalent of IGP?
Vinho Regional (VR)
What grape dominates the production of Red and Rose Vinho Verde?
Vinhao
What grape is Paderna a synonym of?
Arinto de Bucelas
What are the dominant white grapes in Vinho Verde Branco?
Loureiro (most planted) Paderna (Arinto de Bucelas) Alvarinho Treixadura Azal Avesso
From North to South, what rivers run through Minho?
Minho, Lima, Tamega, Duoro
What are the DOPs of Lisboa?
Alenquer DOP Arruda DOP Bucelas DOP Carcavelos DOP Colares DOP Encostas d'Aire DOP Lourinha DOP Torres Verdas DOP Obidos DOP
What wines are made in Alenquer DOP?
In what region is it located?
Red and White blends, but its sheltered inland position makes it prime for red blends based on Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, etc.
French grapes are also increasingly in fashion.
It is located in Lisboa.
What wines are made in Arruda DOP?
In what region is it located?
Red and White blends.
It is located in Lisboa.
What wines are made in Bucelas DOP?
In what region is it located?
White (and traditional method sparkling wines) based on a min. 75% Arinto de Bucelas.
It is located in Lisboa.
What wines are made in Carcavelos DOP?
In what region is it located?
It is located in Lisboa and wines are Licoroso
- Reds are min. 75% Castelao and Preto Martinho
- Whites are min. 75% Arinto, Ratinho, Galego Dourado
24 months barrel (6 in bottle), 150 g/l RS, Min 15% ABV (Max 22%)
What are the two major soil types of Colares DOP, and what is grown in them?
Chao de areia (sandy floor) - Ramisco
Chao rija (hard floor/clay) - Castelao
Malvasia de Colares is grown for whites.
Because of the sandy soils, Ramisco is own rooted.
What wines are made in Encostas d’Aire DOP?
In what region is it located?
Red and White blends. Also “Medieval de Ourem” is 80% Fernao Pires (Maria Gomes) and 20% Trincadeira.
Following a brief initial, separate fermentation, the red wine and skins are poured in with the white wine for a final fermentation/maceration. This is a “Palhete.” It is located in Lisboa.
What is the specialty of the Lourinha DOP?
In what region is it located?
Aguardente (Brandy)
They actually don’t release wine.
It is located in Lisboa.
What are notable producers in Colares?
Casal Santa Maria
Casca
Antonio Bernadino Paulo da Silva
What is the specialty of Obidos DOP?
In what Region is it located?
Due to cold, wet, westerly wind, Obidos specializes in “Espumante” sparkling wine, which must spend 9 months of the lees.
Lisboa
What are the DOPs of the Penninsula de Setubal?
Palmela DOP
Setubal DOP
What style of wine is produced in Setubal DOP?
Fortified wines made from overwhelmingly from Moscatel Graudo (Alexandria) and Moscatel Galego Roxo.
A practice that distinguishes Setubal is maceration with skins for up to 6 months after mutage.
Wines up to 20 years: min. 280 g/l RS
Wines over 20 years: min 340 g/l RS
What are the labeling designations for Setubal DOP?
10 years 20 years 30 years 40+ years Superior: minimum 5 years of age
Who produces the wine “Lancers” for the US market?
Jose Maria da Fonseca, a historically important producer in Setubal.
What are the top 5 most widely planted grapes in Portugal?
- Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
- Touriga Franca
- Castelao
- Fernao Pires (Maria Gomes)
- Touriga Nacional
What is the predominate climate of Portugal?
Temperate, maritime. High levels of rainfall tend to favor a high volume of production.
Sheltered, inland regions (like the Duoro) are typically drier.
Where is “Mateus” produced? What is it?
Historically, a semi-sweet sparkling Rose produced in the highland vineyards of the Transmontano Region.
What is the “enforcado” system?
The training of vines off the ground (especially in Minho) to alleviate problems of a damp growing season.
What are the dominant grapes in Bairrada? Describe them.
Red: Baga constitutes 75% of plantings. It has small berries and thick skins.
White: Fernao Pires and Bical.
Who are some notable producers in Bairrada?
Luis Pato
Filipa Pato
Dirk Niepoort (Quinta de Baixo)
What does “Garrafeira” indicate on a wine label?
A wine with extra aging.
What does “Nobre” indicate on a Dao DOP wine label?
Higher min. ABV (13% for reds, 12% for whites).
Nobre Reserva brings ABV up to 13.5%/12.5%
Garrafeira brings aging up to 48 mo. (18 in bottle)/18 mo. (9 in bottle)
Also, varietal requirements
What are the varietal requirements for Dao DOP Nobre wines?
Tinto: min. 85% combined Touriga Nacional (min. 15%), Alfrocheiro, Aragonez, Rufete, Jaen
Branco: min. 85% Encruzado (min. 15%), Bical, Cercial, Malvasia Fina, Verdelho
What does “Classico” indicate on a bottle of Bairrada DOP?
Tinto: Baga, Alfrocheiro, Camarate, Castelao, Jaen, Touriga Nacional
Branco: Bical, Cercial, Fernao Pires, Rabo de Ovelha
Higher min. ABV: 12.5% Tinto/12% Branco
Also, higher min. aging: 30 mo. (12 in bottle)/12 mo. (6 in bottle)
What is the assemblage requirement for Palmela DOP Tinto?
min. 66.7% Castelao
What is the “Torna Viagem” process?
Journey by ship to the tropics undertaken by Madeira and Setubal wines.
(Very) Old examples could be labeled “Vinhos de Torna-Viagem” or TVE
What is a “palhete” wine?
A wine with red and white grapes fermented together.
“Medieval de Ourem” is the most notable style.
What are the dominant grapes of Do Tejo DOP?
Where is it located?
It is located in the region of Tejo.
Castelao and Fernao Pires
White wines outnumber reds
What are the prominent grapes of the Alentejo DOP?
Trincadeira, blended with Aragonez and Castelao.
Antao Vaz is the white grape of choice.
Red wines outnumber whites
What is “vinho abafado?”
Partially fermented grape must preserved with alcohol. Used to sweeten and fortify dry wine.
Used in Carcavelos DOP
Who produces “Pera-Manca?”
Both a white and a red produced by Cartuxa in DOP Alentejo.
Branco: Antao Vaz & Arinto blend
Tinto: Trincadeira & Aragonez
Only made in good years, $400+
Who produces “Barca Velha?”
A red blend produced by Casa Ferreirinha in DOP Douro
Tinto: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao
Only 18 vintages since 1952. Latest release is 2011. $600+. When it is not made, the wine is labeled Reserva Especial instead
Who produces “Batuta?”
A red blend produced by Niepoort in DOP Douro
Tinto: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Rufete, Malvazia Preta
Who produces “Chryseia?”
A red blend produced by Prats & Symington in DOP Douro
Tinto: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional
What is “Vinho de Talha?”
A specialty of Alentejo DOP, maybe its own DOP?
Wines fermented in clay pots (talha). Grapes are destemmed and kept on their skins until Saint Martin’s Day, November 11.
What is the coolest sub-region of Alentejo DOP?
Portalegre
What geographical landmark defines Portalege?
The Serra de Sao Mamede, a 1,000m tall mountain of granite and schist.
The highest vineyard here is Terrenus Vinha de Serra, owned by Rui Reguinga.
What is the minimum ABV for Vinho Verde? From a subzone? For varietal Alvarinho?
Vinho Verde: 8%
Subzone: 9% (except Sousa)
Alvarinho: 11.5%
What are the most popular grapes grown in Dao DOP?
Tinto: Jaen (Mencia), Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Branco: Encruzado
West to East, what are the Subzones of Douro DOP? Which has the best reputation for quality?
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo (best regarded)
Douro Superior
What is the most widely planted grape in Douro DOP?
Touriga Franca
What is the “lei do terco?”
Law of the Third
A decree restricting the sale of Port to one-third of a house’s total inventory anually.
What regulatory body oversees the production and sale of Port?
Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP)
How are vineyards graded? At what level can they not produce Port?
Moreira da Fonseca: 12 factors.
Scores over 1200 are A Grade
Vineyards scoring into G, H, or I cannot produce Port
What are the maximum yields for Red Grapes in Port? White Grapes?
55 hl/ha for Red
65 hl/ha for White
What are “lagares?”
Low, open granite troughs used for the fermentation of Port grapes
What is “beneficio?”
The fortification of wine with spirit (also known as mutage).
Generally occurs when one-third of sugar content has been converted into alcohol.
What is “aguardente?”
“Burning Water”
77% ABV neutral spirit used to fortify Port
What Port House pioneered the production of rose port?
Croft, in the late 2000s
What is a “pipe?”
A traditional barrel used for Port.
In the Douro, it is usually 550L
In Vila Nova de Gaia it is often 620L
For shipping, it is set at 534.24L
What city, non-contiguous with the Douro, is part of the DOC?
Vila Nova de Gaia
Traditionally, Port was aged here due to the cooler seaside climate, but modern temperature control makes this moot.
Aging here ceased to be mandatory in 1986.
What are the two major styles of Red Port? How are they different?
Ruby Port is bottle aged
Tawny Port is cask aged
What are the RS requirements for labeling Port?
Extra-Seco: 17.5-40 g/l Seco: 40-65 g/l Meio Seco: 65-85 g/l Doce: 85-130 g/l Muito Doce: more than 130 g/l
What are the production requirements for Vintage Port?
Must by bottled by July 30 of third year after harvest
May be sold from May 1 of second year after harvest
What are the production requirements for Late-Bottled-Vintage (LBV) Port?
Wines must be cask aged between 4 and 6 years.
Wines aging an additional 3 years in bottle may be labeled “Envelhicido em Garrafa.”
What are the production requirements for Colheita port?
Tawny wines from a single vintage aged in cask for min. 7 years
What is Crusted Port?
Port that has been matured and has left sediment
Generally, it is a port bottled unfiltered
What are the production requirements for Reserva/Reserve Port?
It implied greater quality, but no extra aging is required
If it is labeled Tawny, it must have been cask aged for at least 7 years
What are the dominant Red Grapes for Port Production? White Grapes?
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao, Tinta Barroca
Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato, Gouveio
What is the top bottling of Port from Quinta do Noval?
Nacional Vintage Ruby, from a 2ha plot within the Quinta do Noval
200 to 300 cases made, inaugural vintage 1931
The 1963 is legendary
$1100
What vineyard provides the backbone to Niepoort’s Vintage Ruby Ports?
Quinta do Napoles
What is the oldest Port House?
C. N. Kopke, founded in 1638
Quinta do Sao Luis is their top vineyard, and has been a part of their holdings since inception
What producer pioneered the Late Bottle Vintage style of Port?
Taylor Fladgate with the 1970 vintage
What vineyard provides the backbone to Taylor Fladgate’s vintage ports?
Quinta do Vargellas, of which Vargellas Vinha Velha can be produced (inaugural vintage 1955)
Quinta do Terra Feita is also important
What vineyard provides the backbone to Graham’s vintage ports?
Quinta dos Malvedos
What vineyards provide the backbone to Dow’s vintage ports?
Quinta do Bomfim
Quinta Senhora da Ribeira
What does the term “torna viagem” indicated?
Madeira wines lengthy trip through the tropics
Where may Madeira DOP wines be made?
On Madeira, or on neighboring Porto Santo, the only other inhabited island
What are “poios?”
Basalt terraces on Madeira used to support viticulture
How are most vines trained on Madeira?
In pergola, to combat humidity and fungal pressure
What are the three types of companies involved in the Madeira trade?
Production companies will make wine
Shipping companies with purchase and export wine
“Partidistas” will store wine and sell it
What are the major grapes of Madeira?
Tinta Negra (85% of production) Sercial Verdelho (most planted white grape) Boal (Bual, Malvasia Fina) Malmsey (Malvasia Candida, Malvasia Branca de Sao Jorge)
Terrantez is prized, but there are very few plantings
What are the requirements for varietally labeling a wine on Madeira?
85% if it is a multi-vintage blend
100% if the wine is vintage dated
What are the two modern heating methods for Madeira? How do they differ?
Estufagem - wines are transferred to a stainless steel vat and heated between 113-122F for at least 3 months. May be released after 2 years.
Canteiro - wines are cask aged in attics for at least 2 years. May be bottled after 3 years.
What are the requirements for “Frasqueria” Madeira?
Single grape variety
20 years in wood
Rank the main Madeira grapes from driest to sweetest
Sercial (18-65 g/l RS)
Verdelho (49-78 g/l RS)
Boal (78-96 g/l RS)
Malvasia (96-135 g/l RS)
What is the main grape for Rainwater Madeira?
Tinta Negra
How long must a Colheita Madeira age before release?
5 years
Vinho da Roda
Vinho da Torna
Vinhoa da Volta
Are all terms used to describe Madeira that has done what?
Undertaken an ocean journey across the equator
What are the rules governing Solera Madeira?
Only 10% may be drawn off every year, and only 10 additions may be made in a Solera’s life span.
The vintage of the base wine must appear on the label.
Fun Fact: Older wines, not younger wines, are often used to top off Soleras.
What are the age-indications allowed for Madeira?
5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50
All of which are a style-indication and assigned by a tasting panel
When did Portugal join the EU? What change to varietal labeling occured?
1986
Previously, Malmsey, Boal, Verdelho and Sercial were labels indicating sweetness levels, not necessarily the grapes used.
Now, varietal labeling must be true.
Who planted Cova de Periquita?
What makes it famous?
Jose Maria de Fonseca in 1846
It was planted to Castelao
It was used to produce Portugals first bottled red wine “Periquita.”
