Portugal/Port/Other Fortified Wines Flashcards
What is the climate in Portugal?
Mostly warm to hot
What is the top white/red grapes in Portugal?
White: Alvarinho
Red: Touriga Nacional, Baga
What are the top regions/wines for table wines in Portugal?
Douro
Dao
Bairrada
Vinho Verde
What are the top fortified and dessert wines in Portugal?
Port
Madeira
Describe where Portugal is located.
On the western coastline of the Iberian Peninsula, borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south, and Spain to the east and north.
What is unique about Portugal?
Isolated
Portugese winemakers developed their own methods
Style of wine vary greatly from rest of Europe
What are the wine laws of Portugal called?
DOC Denominacao de Origem Controlada
4 quality classifications based on the French AOC system
Denominacao de Origem Controlada
Strictest Regulations, Top Quality Classification
Indicacao de Provenicencia Regulamentada
Temporary Classification for Higher Quality Regions Seeking DOC Status
Vinho Regional
Better Quality Classification with Looser Restrictions “Regional Wines”
Vinho de Mesa
Lowest Quality Classification with Loosest Restrictions “table wines”
Vinho tinto
Portugal
Red wine
Vinho branco
Portugal
White wine
Vino rosado
Portugal
Rose wine
Maduro
Portugal
Old
Seco
Portugal
Dry’
Doce
Portugal
Sweet
Colheita
Portugal
Vintage
Garrafeira
Wine of very high quality, aged for a specified period longer than minimal regional standards
Portugal
Quinta
Winery/Estate
Portugal
Describe Touriga Nacional from Portugal
Red
Used in blending top-quality Ports
Hearty and rustic
Full-bodied, fruit-rich, tannic wines
Describe Baga from Portugal
Most widely grown grape
Grown in Bairrada
(AKA Tinto Bairrada)
Biting astringency from high tannins, flavors of clay, dark fruit
Describe Alvarinho from Portugal
White
Northern Portugal
(Known in Spain as Albarino)
Light Bodied wines, moderate acidity and alcohol (lots of fruit flavors - peaches, citrus, kiwi, melon)
What is the terroir of Portugal?
Rugged country, Mountainess, with Rivers and Valleys, Generous rainfall, ripening periods are long and hot
What are the important DOCs of Portugal?
Douro
Dao
Bairrada
Vinho Verde
Describe the Douro
DOC Terroir: Douro River from Spain/Steep Slopes Grape: Touriga Nacional Wine: Full Bodied Reds Also covered by Porto DOC - home to Port
Dao
DOC Named for Dao River Terroir: Mountainess Region (protects vineyards from extreme heat/cold) Grapes: Touriga Nacional, several others Trending: smaller, quality wines
Bairrada
DOC
Terroir: Clay (Barros means “clay” - in the name), Atlantic Coastline
Grape: Baga
Wine: Dry Red, long-aging tannic reds
Vinho Verde
DOC
Location: Northwestern
Translation: “green wine” (should be consumed in youth)
Grape: Alvarinho
Wine: Crisp whites, slight spritz of carbonation
What is the story behind the style of Port wine?
Douro - wine region
1600s - port style produced
England at war with France
English cut off from their supply of French wine
English wanted wine from Douro
Whens hipped, didn’t survive ocean voyage
(Dry wines turned bad, sweet wines refermented)
Barrels would explode from pressure
High-proof brandy added to stabilize the wines
Where is Port produced?
The Douro valley in Portugal
What is the climate in Douro?
Warm/hot
What are the top red grapes in Douro?
Touriga Nacional Touriga Frencesa Tinta Roriz Tinta Barroca Tinto Cao
What are the two main styles of Port?
Bottle-Aged
Wood-Aged
What is Bottle-Aged Port called?
Vintage Port
What are the styles of Wood-Aged Port?
Ruby Port
Tawny Port
Aged Tawny Port
Late-bottled vintage (LBV) Port
How is Port made?
During fermentation, Port is fortified with high-proof brandy. This spikes the alcohol content up to 20% or higher, killing the yeast and retaining the residual sugar of the grapes.
Aguardente
154 proof brandy used in the process of making Port
Describe Bottle Aged Ports
Aged 1-2 years in barrels
Then aged for decades in bottle
(Oxygen slowly mellows and matures)
Flavors: deeper red color, and ripe fruit
Describe Wood-Aged Ports
Aged in barrels until they are ready for consumption
Will appear more amber in color BECAUSE of massive oxidation from barrels
Flavors: dried fruit, caramelized sugar
Describe Ruby Port
most widely produced simple, basic named for color aged 2-3 years ripe berry, jam flavors
Describe Tawny Port
non-vintage means aged 3 years
caramel flavors
Describe Aged tawny Port
aged in barrel long periods
labeled by average age of their components
do not require additional bottle aging
Describe Late-bottled vintage (LBV) Port
Made in good (not great) years
Longer barrel aging (4-6 years)
do not require additional bottle aging
Describe Vintage Port
Very best years - a port house might produce a vintage port Best grapes, top vineyards Short barrel aging Wines mature for decades Highest-quality style of Port
Where is the home of Madeira?
Island of Madeira
350 miles west of Morocco (N. Africa) , Atlantic Ocean
How did Madeira wines become popular?
A stop on shipping routes during the Age of Discovery and colonial era
Produced fortified wines routinely purchased by ships
Ability to survive rough conditions
Especially popular in New England
Used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
What is interesting about Madeira wines that were stored on ships?
Oxidation accelerated when they were stored in casks on ships
Darkened and flavored wine
Tropical temps (b/c they went past equator) would cook the wine
led to a nutty, rich, burnt-caramel flavor
would destroy most wines but improved madeira
winemakers would pay to have their wines carried on a ship
What is the climate of Madeira?
Southern latitude, extremely warm/hot climate
What are the top white grapes and also four styles of Madeira?
Wine is named after the grape that makes up 85% of the wine: Bual Malvasia Verdelho Sercial
How is Madeira produced today?
Torturous conditions meant to mimic the ocean voyages
1) Fortified
a) During Fermentation (sweet)
b) After Fermentation (dry)
2) Casks Stored without temp. control (years/decades)
3) Slowly maderize
4) Can last for months, once opened
