Portugal Study Guide Flashcards
Where does Portugal rank worldwide in regards to production? Consumption?
11th largest producer of wine in the world
7th largest consumer
What two fortified wines had Portugal previously built its wine fame on? What direction is the country moving in regards to production today? Why is this?
Port and Madeira
Moving towards the production of modern table wines, sourced from a diverse array of over 200 unique, native varietals.
This movement is due to the worldwide decline in the sales and interest of fortified wines
What treaty was signed between Portugal and England that would establish a diplomatic alliance that would pave the way for extensive trade between the two kingdoms? When was this?
Treaty of Windsor in 1386
What Portuguese colony offshore is nicknamed the “isle of woods”?
Madeira
When was Port discovered and by who was it discovered? Where in the town was this discovered? What was the wine nicknamed in England when brought back to Liverpool?
1678 by two Englishmen in the mountain town Lamego located in the Douro Valley
The wine was discovered in a local monastery where the local abbot was practicing mutage with brandy.
Nicknamed “blackstrap”
What happened at the end of the 17th century that served as a boon for Douro wines? What treaty was signed in 1703 to further enhance this boon? (treaty)
War and trade embargoes by England with France at the end of the 17th century resulted in a boom for sales of Douro wines.
Additionally in 1703 the English signed the Treaty of Methuen with Portugal, establishing a long-lasting trade agreement between the two nations and preferential tariffs for Portuguese wines.
At what point in history did Portuguese wines account for 2/3 of wine imported to England?
the mid 18th century (mid 1700s)
When was Kopke founded? How many decades was this before the first recorded shipment to England?
1638
4 decades before
What treaty between England and Portugal proved to be the catalyst for the heyday of Port shipments to England in the 18th century?
Treaty of Methuen in 1703
What events in the early to mid 18th century led to the development of the Companhia Geral do Vinhos do Alto Douro (Douro Wine Company)? Why was this company established?
Widespread fraud in the Douro that was exposed causing the price of Douro wines to plummet in the English market.
Company was established to restore English confidence and protects its own economic interests.
What did the Companhia Geral do Vinhos de Alto Douro do to restore English confidence and protect the Douro’s economic interest?
formally established the boundaries and practices of the Douro appellation in 1756
developed a methodology for grading Port vineyards and authorized each individual farmer’s production allotment relative to the vineyard’s grade
Between 1758 and 1761, the 335 best vineyards were classified. What is their designation called and how were they marked? For what market was fruit from these vineyards reserved for?
What were the lesser vineyards called and what market was fruit from these vineyards reserved for in regard to production?
The best were classified as feitoria and marked with stones. Fruit from these vineyards was reserved for the production of wines for the English market.
Lesser vineyards were called rama. Fruit from these vineyards was reserved for the domestic market.
Who were the most culpable parties in regards to the widespread fraud in the Douro during the mid 1700s that damaged the Douro’s reputation? What silver lining did this provide for the Douro Wine Company?
British merchants
This resulted in the merchants having to forfeit a measure of control over the trade of Douro wines giving the Douro Wine Company the ability to regulate grape pricing, fix pricing on the finished wines, manage exports and monopolize the sale of Portuguese brandy (aguardente) used in the fortification process.
What is the name of the Portuguese brandy that is used for the purpose of mutage in Port production?
aguardiente
What is the Douro Wine Company known as today? What has happened in regards to its responsibilities? What organization manages the appellations and its regulations now?
The Royal Oporto Wine Company. It has lost its regulatory functions over time.
Today, the government-run Douro Port Wine Institue (IVDP) manages the appellation and the regulations.
As Port became the favored Portuguese wine in England, Madeira’s British wine merchants developed prosperous colonial trade where?
English North America colonies and Brazil
What time period is widely considered to be the apex of Madeira, Port, and the wine of Portugal?
The first decade of the 19th century
Who invaded Portugal in 1807 to disrupt the country’s trade with England? What two facets of wine trade were greatly affected?
France and Spain
Production quality and prices were greatly affected.
Who’s defeat resulted in Portugal falling behind in market share to French, Spanish, and beer markets?
Napoleon’s defeat and exile
Which fortified wine overtook Port as the wine of choice in England during the late 1800s?
Sherry
When did Powdery Mildew and Oidium hit Portugal?
1850s
What was the only region in Portugal that was not affected by Phylloxera during the outbreak?
Colares
Many vineyards in Portugal were not replanted following the Phylloxera outbreak. What industry took hold in Portugal following this?
The cork industry
Portugal today remains one of the foremost suppliers of cork closures for the wine industry.
What organization was founded in 1937 that revamped the Portuguese wine industry? What did they do?
Junta Nacional do Vinhos
This organization consolidated small vineyards into a network of larger co-operatives.