Wine growing regions of Portugal

Landschaft mit Weinfeldern in Portugal ergänzt mit Namen bekannter Weinanbauregionen

Portugal's different wine regions

In the northwest of the country is the wine region of Rios do Minho. Located between the Minho and Douro rivers, it is best known for its Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde basically stands for young wine and not for a wine region. The white Vinho Verde has a terrific freshness, a slight tingle and only slightly sweet. Therefore, it is also often referred to as a summer wine. White Vinho Verde is usually made from several grape varieties: Arinto, Alvarinho, Azal or Loureiro grapes. Occasionally, there are also red and rosé Vinhos Verdes.
Wines from the Trasmontano - Powerful and aromatic
The Transmontano wine region lies shielded behind mountains on the Atlantic coast. It is hot and dry there, and the flat-topped granite makes viticulture arduous. The climate favors grapes for rather strong and aromatic wines. Well-known grape varieties of the region are the red Bastardo, Trincadeira Preta, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. The white varieties are Malvasia Fina/Assario Branco, Fernão Pires and Godelho.

A B D E L M P S T V

A

B

Beira Interior (1)

D

E

Estremoz (2)

L

Lisboa (14)

M

Madeira (7)

P

S

Setubal (2)

T

V

26 Portuguese wine regions and local specialities

Portugal is currently divided into five wine-growing zones with over 40 quality wine-growing areas. Twenty-six wine regions have the highest status, known as DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada), which corresponds to the Spanish DO or French AOC system. What makes Portuguese wines special, however, is that they are mainly produced from local, so-called indigenous grape varieties. Colares is an extremely rare wine in Portugal that is still grown from ungrafted European vines in the sand north of Sintra in Colares, near the Atlantic coast. Phylloxera, which destroyed almost all other European vines in the 19th century, could not survive in the sand.

Landkarte von Portugal mit portugiesischen Weinanbauregionen

Douro – Europe's first official appellation

Portugal's wine country is divided into different wine regions. The Marquês de Pombal is considered the “inventor” of Europe's first official wine region (appellation). In 1756, he had the boundaries of the Douro wine-growing region precisely demarcated and officially marked with boundary stones. This was intended to guarantee the quality of the fortified wines produced there. And indeed, port and Madeira from the Douro were so well received in England that they displaced still wines. Today, the Douro wine-growing region is one of the most internationally renowned, particularly for its exquisite red wines. It was in the late 1970s that wineries such as Ferreira and Niepoort ventured into the world of high-quality red wines. Today, the steep slopes of the Douro are home to particularly old and traditionally maintained vineyards. This is where the ‘mixed set’ is grown, including grape varieties such as Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Castelão. They are traditionally cultivated, harvested and processed together. The cuvée is virtually ‘born’ in the field, which is what makes the red wines from the Douro so diverse. In order to develop further, Portuguese winegrowers also cultivate native grape varieties as single varieties and produce, for example, a light, rather mineral white wine.

Terras de Cister – Stronghold of sparkling wine

South of the Douro lies the small wine region of Terras de Cister. This is where the Cistercians first cultivated wine. The region is characterised by its unique climate with very cool nights. The grapes therefore ripen later, but then produce elegant and complex red and white wines. Their pronounced acidity also makes them excellent base wines for sparkling wine. Terras de Cister produces some of the best sparkling wines in the country. Because sparkling wine has always been popular in the region, winegrowers planted French grape varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir over 100 years ago. The white varieties Malvasia Fina, Godelho and Cerceral are also grown here, as well as red varieties such as Tempranillo/Aragonez, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca.

Wines from the Dão region are an insider tip

The Dão wine region is surrounded by mountain ranges in the middle of Portugal. Due to its location, it is shielded from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the continental climate, giving it its own unique microclimate. Summers are dry and warm, while winters are very cold. Even in late summer, the nights cool down significantly, which allows the grapes, which grow at altitudes between 400 and 500 metres on granite and slate soils, to ripen later. The Dão region produces elegant red wines with structure and complex aromas. The aromatically refined white wines are mainly made from the Encruzado, Vercial and Malvasia grape varieties. The red wines are dominated by the Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Aragones grape varieties. Wines from the Jaen variety, known in Spain as Mencía, from the Dão region are considered an insider tip due to their elegance and complexity.

Beira Interior – a region rich in grape varieties

Southeast of the Dão, on the border with Spain, lies Beira Interior, a completely remote wine-growing region. Here on the highest mountains, there is sometimes snow in winter. The cooler climate means that the season is shorter, which is reflected in the red wines' strong fruitiness and also ensures strong tannins. These wines need a longer maturation period, but then impress with their slender body and fine minerality. The wines produced here in Dão are true treasures. The region is rich in its own grape varieties and yeasts that have been used for centuries. Murufo, Bastardo, Alfrocheiro, Trincadeira and Touriga Nacional are the predominant red grape varieties, while Siria, Arinto and Malvasia dominate among the whites.

Beira Atlântico: Home of Baga

International critics see the small wine region of Beira Atlântico as the future hotspot for wine growing. Pure varietal red wines are produced here from the Baga grape. The classic Baga is a dense, tannin-rich wine with high acidity, which, after ageing for 10 to 20 years, transforms into an elegant, very structured red wine reminiscent of a Pinot Noir. The good acidity structure of Baga also benefits the rosé sparkling wines that originate from here.

Special cuvées from the Tejo region

The Tejo wine region winds its way inland along the river of the same name. The soils in the valley are sandy, while the higher elevations feature loam, limestone or slate. New vineyards are being established here. In addition to the native grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are also found in the wine region. The red and white cuvées, which combine indigenous and French grape varieties, are considered an insider tip.

Alentejo – Wines with full fruit

Below the Tagus lies the Alentejo region, characterised by wheat fields, olive groves and sunflower fields. This is also where the cork oaks grow, making Alentejo the leading cork region to this day. The entire region is undergoing a transformation. Private wineries and winegrowers' cooperatives have invested in cellar technology and new vineyards. The red wines from the Alentejo are mainly cuvées made from the local grape varieties Aragones, Alicante Bouschet, Castelão and Trincadeira. They are characterised by a full body and lots of fruit, as well as a balanced acidity-sweetness ratio. The white wines are made from Arinto, Fernão Pires and Antão Vaz grapes. Whether white or red, drinking pleasure at an excellent price-pleasure ratio is guaranteed.

Fine fortified wines from Setúbal

The Peninsula de Setúbal wine region is located south of Lisbon. This is where the internationally renowned fortified wine Moscatel comes from. These wines are generously sweet and have an alcohol content of at least 18% by volume. They must be aged in barrels for at least 18 months. The Castelão grape variety is mainly used for red wines from the Setúbal region; more precisely, at least 67 per cent of this grape variety must be found in the cuvée. The remaining 33 per cent comes from either indigenous grape varieties such as Aragones and Trincadeira or Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon. The sandy soils produce fruit-driven wines and ripe tannins, which become significantly more complex with age.

Fresh white wines from the Algarve

The Algarve, the coastal region on the Atlantic Ocean in the very south of Portugal, is home to four wine-growing areas: Lagoa, Lagos, Portimão and Tavira. Due to its proximity to the Atlantic, the nights are cool and the soil tends to be dry from the wind. The region has its own unique grape variety called ‘Negra Mole’. It was the most widely planted variety on the south coast in the 20th century, and the new generation of producers and oenologists has rediscovered this vine, which is one of the oldest grape varieties in the country. Other national and international grape varieties are also grown in the Algarve, from which red, rosé and white wines are produced. The region is particularly well known for its fresh, light and fruity white wines.

Special wines from the island of Madeira and the Azores

Special wines are produced in the Atlantic Ocean on the flower island of Madeira, the Azores and the island of Pico. The world-famous Madeira liqueur wine is considered one of the best of its kind. White wines from the island of Pico, which belongs to the Azores, may not be as well known yet, but they are an insider tip. The Godelho grape variety is cultivated with tremendous effort in vineyards surrounded by stone walls. It is a marvel of aromas and captivates with notes of white fruits, stone and smoke, which are due to the volcanic soil of the island. The Atlantic weather brings a slight saltiness to the wine.

Lisboa – Wine diversity in a small area

South of Beira Atlântico lies the Lisbon wine region. The narrow strip of land where the grapes are grown stretches to the gates of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The wine region is very diverse. Near Colares, there is still a vineyard with ungrafted vines from Europe that survived phylloxera in the sandy soils. Their grapes are used to produce wines that are considered insider tips. The area is also known for sparkling and white wines made from the white Arinto grape variety. Their trademark is a particularly fresh, mineral and dry body, which makes the wine a great accompaniment to food. But Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca also have their home here. The Lisbon wine-growing region now also includes well-known grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, as well as the French varieties Alenquer, Torres Vedras and Óbidos. In the areas facing the Atlantic Ocean, vines are grown that produce light wines with low alcohol content, known as Vinho Leve, and red wines with less fruit but more spice. The areas that are sheltered from the Atlantic wind but have a cool climate offer ideal conditions for aromatic white wines made from Fernão Pires. Light and fresh red wines are also produced here.

Alentejo

Douro

Porto

Lisboa

Vinho Verde