Portugal Flashcards
What is the overall climate of Portugal and the general exception?
Mostly maritime, but inland it can be hot, dry, and continental.
What is the major geographical influence in Portugal?
The Atlantic
What can mitigate the very high temperatures in some sub-regions of Portugal?
Altitude
What is the vintage variation like in Portugal?
The are large differences in average annual temperatures.
What is the largest Vinho Regional?
Alentejano
What is Alentejano based around?
Alentejo DOC
How is Alentejano different from Alentejo?
Alenejano is a Vinho Regional with more liberal regulations and the allowance to grow international varieties. Alentejo is a DOC that covers 8 sub-regions.
What is the growing season like in Alentejo DOC and what are the exceptions and resulting wine style?
Warm overall, with small climatic differences in its sub-regions that results in a range of wine styles
What is the style of wines from the cooler, wetter sub-regions of Alentejo?
More elegant
What is the style of wines from the hotter, drier sub-regions of Alentejo?
Richer
What are the traits of Alentejo red wines?
winemaking style + appearance + body + tannins + flavor characteristic
Blends deep color full body high, soft tannins expressive ripe fruit
What are the white wines of Alentejo like, and what is the exception like?
(Main variety + style)
Arinto
Fresh, floral
Some: oak fermented and/or matured
-More depth and complexity
What is the climate in Vinho Verde and why?
Moderate Maritime
Proximity to the Atlantic
A) What is a major natural factor affecting Vinho Verde,
B) what problems does it cause,
C) what is generally done to mitigate it,
D) and what are the benefits of this change?
A) High annual rainfall
B) Excessive growth and fungal disease
C) Canopy management - Modernized away from traditional Pergola growing towards spur-pruning and VSP training
D) Airflow and ability to integrate mechanisation
What is the terrain like in Dao DOC?
Mountainous
Where are vineyards typically planted in Dao DOC?
On gentler slopes and hills around 200 to 400km altitude
What is the weather like in summer and winter + one other important natural factor in Dao DOC, and how do these things together affect its wines?
Cold, wet winters + dry summers
High diurnal range
Conditions for high quality wine grape growing
Which DOC of Portugal is described as “mountainous”?
Dao DOC
Which is the most important variety in Bairrada DOC?
Baga
What is the Baga grape like?
Small, thick-skinned, late ripening
What is the climate of Bairrada and why?
Maritime - proximity to the Atlantic
What is the seasonal weather like in Bairrada and what is an occasional weather issue there?
Rainy winters + warm summers
Sometimes it can rain around harvest time causing issues for late-ripening varieties
What are the traits of wines made from Baga, including unripe vs later harvested grapes?
Deep color
High tannins
Unripe: High acidity, Astringent tannins
Riper: Softer with rich black fruit notes
Which Portugese grape is late-ripening and small with thick skin, resulting in deeply colored highly tannic wines that can be high in acid and astringent when underripe, but softer with rich black fruit when riper?
Baga
What is done to soften the wines made from Baga?
Gentler crushing and maceration
Blending with other black varieties
What 3 varieties are important in Bairrada?
Baga, Touriga Nacional, and Alfrocheiro
What is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world?
Douro DOC
What variety makes the highest quality reds in Douro DOC?
Touriga Nacional
What are the traits of red wines from Douro DOC?
appearance + body + tannin/character + 1 flavor/character
Deep color
Full body
Ripe tannins
Rich black fruit
What are the traits of white wines from Douro DOC?
1 flavor characteristic + acidity/particular note
Fresh varietal fruit
Medium to high acidity - especially from higher altitudes
What are the traits of the highest quality Touriga Nacional from the Douro?
(viticulture trait + color/flavor character + tannins)
Low yields
Intense color and flavor
High tannins
What traits are often displayed by red wines from the Dao DOC?
(1 flavor/character + tannins + acidity)
Delicate red fruit
Soft tannins
High acidity
Which 4 high-quality varieties have seen new plantings in the Dao DOC?
Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, and Alfrocheiro
What is a name for Tinta Roriz outside Portugal?
Tempranillo
What are two of Portugal’s alternate names for Tempranillo, and where is each used?
Tinta Roriz - in Dao DOC
Aragones - in Alentejo DOC
What is the name for Jaen in Spain?
Mencia
Which Portugese variety is the same as Spain’s Mencia?
Jaen
What are the traits of Alfrocheiro wine?
appearance + characteristic + 2 flavors
Deep color
Intense aromas
Blackberry and Strawberry
Which 3 varieties are popular in Alentejo and what is the typical winemaking style there?
Aragones, Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet
They are often blended
What are the traits of the Trincadeira grape?
viticulture + 1 character/flavor + tannin
Drought-tolerant
Spicy red berry
High tannins
What are the traits of Alicante Bouschet?
appearance + tannin
High color
High tannins
What are the traits of red blends from Alentejo?
appearance + tannin/character + body + flavor character
Deep color
High yet soft tannins
Full body
Expressive ripe fruit
What are the traits of Douro whites?
acidity + flavor character
Medium to high acidity
Fresh varietal fruit
Which 3 varieties are important for Vinho Verde?
Loureiro, Arinto, and Alvarinho
What are the traits of Vinho Verde whites?
appearance + acidity + alcohol/range/sweetness + special character of some
Pale lemon color High acidity Low alcohol (8 to 11.5%) Lower alcohol levels tend to be off-dry Some have slight effervescence that add freshness
What are the traits of Vinho Verde Alvarinho?
alcohol + flavor comparison to other Vinho Verde whites
Medium alcohol (11.5 - 14%) Riper, more tropical fruits
What are the traits of Alentejo whites, and the most relevant variety?
(flavor/aroma character + acidity)
Fruity & floral
Medium to high acidity
Arinto
What is sometimes done to Alentejo white wines to add depth and complexity?
Oak fermentation or maturation
