Major wine producing regions in Portugal:
DOCs (Denominacao de Origem Controlada)
Alentejo - This region produces both red and white wines. These include the full-bodied red wine Tinto Alentejo which is a blend that can include Aragonês, Trincadeira, Castelão, Alicante Bouschet and Alfrocheiro. The whites include both light-bodied and full-bodied wines made from Arinto, Antão Vaz, Roupeiro, Verdelho and Fernão Pires. This region is also home to about one-third of the world’s cork tree forests.
Sub-Regions (Courtesy of Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Program)
Portalegre: Alentejo’s northernmost sub-region stands out for its singular terrain, soil, vines, altitude and age of vines. The majority of vineyards lie in the Serra de São Mamede foothills, with some planted on steep slopes at close to 2,500 feet. With higher altitudes come lower temperatures and higher levels of humidity, yielding fresh, elegant wines, including whites. The predominantly granite soil is interspersed with small patches of schist in the lower zones. In the hills, vineyard ownership is fragmented, consisting of large numbers of small plots with very old vines, many over 70 years old. Unusually, some of these vineyards are planted as field blends. Grand Noir, related to Alicante Bouschet and yielding deeply colored wines, is one of the unusual, predominant grapes found here. Portalegre has attracted some very talented new winemakers.
Borba: Borba was the first Alentejo sub-region to gain international attention for the quality of its wines, especially those from around Estremoz, Borba’s second largest city. What makes the area of interest is marble – marble quarries for artists and marble bedrock for wine lovers. The marble bedrock is so close to the top that dynamite has to be used to break up the rock and plant vines. But once planted, the calcareous rock has pockets where water seeps in, alleviating the necessity to irrigate and creating mineral-inflected wines. Borba’s landscape is also punctuated with outcroppings of red slate in meagre soils. With rainfall slightly above average and annual hours of sunshine slightly below the average for Alentejo, Borba is known for producing particularly fresh and elegant wines.
Évora: Considered the birthplace of Alentejo’s most sought-after wines. Toward the end of the 19th century it had become one of the best-known wine areas in Portugal. But phylloxera, followed by a campaign to grow wheat in the early 20th century, led to a decline. It was not until the late 1980s that there was a renaissance of viticulture. The hot, dry landscape is dominated by brown Mediterranean soils and produces some of Alentejo’s most prestigious wines, especially velvety, full- bodied reds. Its eponymous main city is a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Granja-Amereleja: Bordering Spain to the east, surrounding the town of Mourão, this sub- region is one of the most arid and inhospitable climates in Portugal. Poor clay and schist soils, a thin topsoil layer with low organic content and a lack of water make for very low yields. Scorching, dry summers result in early ripening of grapes, which in turn produce warm, smooth wines, with high alcohol content. Spicy reds are a specialty, especially wines made from the Moreto grape, a calling- card for this area. Naturally low in sugar, Moreto is particularly suited to the hot, harsh conditions.
Moura: The climate here has a strong continental influence, with huge temperature variations: cold, harsh winters and long, sizzling, dry summers. Soils are exceptionally poor, dominated by cool, water-retentive red, clay and limestone and only a thin layer of topsoil. The Castelão grape variety has adapted especially well here. Moura wines are typically warm and soft, with correspondingly high alcohol levels.
Redondo: The Serra da Ossa is, after the Serra de São Mamede, the second tallest mountain range in Alentejo, with the highest peaks close to 2,000 feet. These hills define and demarcate the sub-region, shelter the vines from the northerly and easterly winds and contribute to fairly consistent cold, dry winters, and hot, sunny summers. Soils are diverse, with more granite and schist on the gentle south-facing slopes. The area is known predominately for fruity red wines.
Reguengos: Dramatic rock formations dot the landscape of Alentejo’s largest sub-region. Poor, stony schist soil and a pronounced continental climate – cold winters and hot summers – help produce powerful, full-bodied wines with excellent aging potential. In spite of Reguengos’ overall size, vineyard ownership here is fragmented. The average vineyard tends to be smaller than in other areas and perhaps because of this Reguengos boasts a very successful co-operative winery. Some of the oldest vineyards of the Alentejo are found in this sub-region.
Vidigueira: In spite of being the southernmost sub-region, Vidigueira has the mildest climate. This is because of the Vidigueira Fault, an escarpment that runs east-west and separates the Alto (upper) Alentejo from the Baixo (lower) Alentejo. Cool air from the nearby Algarve coast comes down the escarpment’s slopes. Grapes thrive on the terraces’ infertile volcanic soils of granite and schist. Indeed, some suggest that the name “Vidigueira” comes from the Portuguese word for grapevine, “videira.” Vidigueira is home to the mysterious, sugar-rich, plummy Tinta Grossa, possibly the same grape as Tinta Barroca. Though many winemakers are now focusing on red wines, the region has a long tradition of making whites, especially from Antão Vaz. The co-op is a notable caretaker of that tradition
Algarve - This region produces red wines including Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês (Tempranillo) and Syrah.
Beira Atlântico (Bairrada) - Wines include Tinto Bairrada, Branco Bairrada and Sparkling Bairrada.
Beira Interior - Produces Tinto Beira and Branco Beira.
Dão - Red wines from this region include Dão Alfrocheiro, Dão Touriga Nacional, Terras do Dão, Terras de Lafões and Dão Jaen.
Douro - Best know for Port which is grown in this region. Port is made from blending Touriga Franca, Touriga Nocional, Tinta Roriz (a.k.a. Tempranillo), Tinta Barrocca and Tinto Cão.
Lisbao - This region lies along the coast of Portugal. Wines include and Alenquer, Bucelas, Arruda, Torres Vedras, O´bidos and Lourinhã, and Colares.
Madeira - Known for its namesake fortified wine, this small Portuguese island is best known for the following grapes:
Bual (or Boal): With flavors of fig and spices, Bual wines are fortified to make a sweet style wine.
Malmsey: This grape is used to make sweet, rich wines.
Sercial: Sharp acidity and intense citrus flavors. A good aperitif.
Terrantez: This is the rarest and most delicate grape that is used to make medium sweet wines.
Tinta Negra: The most widely planted grape in Madeira. Often used to make cooking wine.
Verdelho: This white grape is used to make off-dry, sometimes smokey, wines.
Setúbal - Known for a fortified dessert wine called Moscatel de Setúbal.
Távora e Varosa (Terras de Cister)
Tejo (Ribetejo) - Known for both red and white wines, including red "Indi" blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Traincadeira and Castalão. White "Indi" blends include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Fernão Pires and Arinto.
Trás-Os-Montes (Transmontano)
Vinho Verde (Minho) - This region produces light-bodied wines made from a blend of grape varieties including Arinto, Azal, Trajadura, Loureiro and Alvarinhho (a.k.a. Albariño). These wines can be very lightly carbonated with flavors of limonade and melon.
Port
Port is a sweet, red, fortified wine from Portugal. Port is a dessert wine because it is rich and sweet. There are several styles of Port, including red, white, rosé and an aged style called Tawny Port.
Port grapes include Toiuriga Franca, Touriga Nocional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cao.
There are many different types of Port, but most fall under four main styles:
Ruby (Red) Port: A deep-colored red Port which includes Vintage, Late-bottled Vintage (LBV), Crusted and Ruby Port
Tawny Port: A very sweet barrel-aged port with oxidative nut and caramel flavors
White Port: Made with white grapes including Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio and Malvasia
Rosé Port: Made like rosé wine with flavors of strawberry, violets and caramel