Portuguese red wines

Portugiesische Berglandschaft mit saftig grünen Weinbergen in Terrassen angelegt mit Blick auf den Fluß Douro

Portugal is an insider tip among wine lovers. Wine has been grown here since ancient times and as the oldest wine-growing region in the world, the “Alto Douro” is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The growing area is located east of Porto on the river Douro of the same name. Slate soils store a lot of moisture here and thus supply the vines during the dry and hot summers. The grapes are processed into port wine and heavy, tannin-rich red wines. Lighter wines, such as the Vinho Verde, are cultivated by the Portuguese winemakers in the cooler Atlantic climate of the north.

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Winegrowers are true masters of blending

Portuguese red wines are unique. Domestic grape varieties that you won't find anywhere else in the world and the way they are processed as cuvées make them something very special. All Portuguese wines have always been blended from a combination of up to twenty varieties. Portuguese winegrowers are true masters in the art of blending. Under their experienced hands, unique and distinctive cuvées are created that promise new, exciting wine experiences. Domestic, indigenous grape varieties are the essential basis for Portuguese red wines. Internationally known grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are only grown on a small scale. But they are almost always just the "salt and pepper" to round off local wines.

Powerful varietal wines

So-called monocasta wines, i.e. single-variety wines that consist of one grape variety, have become increasingly important in recent times. Wines made from single varieties usually show an intense bouquet of red fruits such as cherries and strawberries, and wildflower aroma is also one of their special characteristics. Pure red grape varieties are powerful, dense and with fine fruity and spicy accents. Here you can enjoy the peculiarities of each individual grape variety.

Color-intensive wines with complex aromas

The finest Portuguese grape variety is Touriga Nacional. The vine, originally from the north of Portugal, delights with its complex aromas and flavors of violets, liquorice, black currants and raspberries. It creates dense, color-intensive wines with a slightly fine-bitter note of bergamot. The most commonly grown variety Touriga Franca in the Duoro Valley is also often used to make cuvées. It stands for great color intensity, for firm, rich and aromatic wines with a slightly floral note and blackberry aroma. It is also one of the five grapes officially recommended for port wine.

Sandy, hot soils for fruity wines

The Castelão grape is common throughout Portugal, but feels most comfortable in the hot climates and on dry sandy soils. It is therefore particularly popular in southern Portugal, such as on the Setúbal peninsula south of Lisbon or in the DOC Palmela, where it is called Periquita. In its youth, the Castelão vine stood for fruity, concentrated wines with notes of raspberries and red currants. With age, a smoother aroma develops with hints of cedar and tobacco.

Fine, elegant red wines

The Aragonez vine, known in the north of Portugal as Tinta Roriz and cultivated in the Alentejo Aragonez wine-growing region, stands for a fine, elegant red wine. The top grape variety with the three names, firm tannins and the aroma of red fruits is processed into varietal Douro wines and port wines. However, it is also found in cuvées together with other grape varieties such as Trincadeira. Everywhere in Portugal, but especially in dry, warm areas and especially in the Alentejo, the Trincadeira vine grows, which is also called Tinta Amarela in the Douro region. It is characterised by a very fresh acidity and also by a raspberry aroma with spicy, pepper and herbal notes.

Huge storage capacity

Heavy, single-variety red wines from the Baga grape are mainly produced in the centre of Portugal. In the city of Agueda, in the Região Centro, in its main growing area in the Bairrada region, the Baga grape, as a late-ripening variety, finds just the right climate for dry, very rich red wines with high tannin content and great storage potential. An intense aroma of blackberries, cherries and plums and the distinctive acidity distinguish this variety, which is also popular for sparkling wines.

Terraced vineyards

But the grapes are also found in the traditional wine-growing area in the mountainous Beira region in the north of Portugal, which borders on the Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Portugal. Many vineyards are terraced and as early as the 12th century the first Portuguese king is said to have ordered the planting of vines there. Due to mountains in the west, Dão is shielded from Atlantic influences. Rainy winters, hot and dry summers and the long cool autumn provide optimal conditions for the production of elegant wines. The red wines, whose vines grow on granite soil in the high altitudes, are known for their very strong, dry character, which comes into its own through longer storage.