Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: Wines From Portugal
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Beyond the well-known (and world-famous) fortified wines of Port and Madeira, Portugal also produces a range of still red and white wines of varying renown and style, from the dry, refreshing whites of Vinho Verde to the sparkling wines of Óbidos and the warm reds of the Douro and Dão.
The country has undergone something of a wine revolution in the past couple of decades, updating its winemaking technologies, styles and attitudes. This archetypal Old World country has long been famous its fortified wines, Port and Madeira, and tart, light Vinho Verde. But in the last decade or two it has garnered a great deal of attention for its new wave of rich, ripe, table wines, with reds from the Douro Valley particularly prominent.
Much focus naturally falls on the Douro River in the north, its valleys, and the attendant Port and still red wine production there, which much focus on the city of Porto – the center of production and wine aging for the region. Between the (almost) coastal city of Porto and the capital Lisbon, 300km (200 miles) to the south, is the Beiras, divided into the Beira Atlantico on the coast and Beira Interior inland. Within this large area is also found the DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) wine regions of the Dão and Bairrada. Around Lisbon itself there are numerous wine regions, including Lisboa, the neighboring Setúbal Peninsula (formerly Estremadura) and the Tejo further northeast and Alentejo due east. The Algarve lies at the very south of the country.
Portugal's many vine varieties and their countless regional synonyms are the bane of ampelographers. Some are endemic to Portugal (e.g. Touriga Nacional), while others are shared with neighboring Spain (e.g. Tinta Roriz/Tempranillo). Overall around 250 varieties are considered as native. The ever-popular "international varieties" (generally of French origin) have also been planted, with Syrah by far the most popular. Importantly, the current success of Portuguese wines has not become dependent on the this category, helping winegrowers to maintain a certain uniqueness in their wines. Indeed, of the top ten grape varieties planted in the country (by area), only Syrah figures as something of an interloper. The rest includes Touriga Franca, Castelão, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira and Baga, with Tinta Roriz the most-planted red grape. White varieties in the top ten are covered by Fernao Pires, Siria (Roupeiro) and Arinto (Pederna) with the high-acid Loureiro yet to make inroads.
We have a choice of videos to watch including:
- https://youtu.be/3ir6ITkBovA?si=sH08Eqioz0k3sVue - All About the Wine Grapes from Portugal - V is for Vino (3:59)
- https://youtu.be/Zfc_7dTdIc0?si=V3i14Yu2GWbU8XwE - PORTUGAL Wines and Regions Explained in 13 Minutes - Wine O'Clock Academy (12:43)
- https://youtu.be/EfJ8Phzm2wA?si=_WZ8dcpgjyifZyRa - The BEST European Country? Explore Portugal Wine - V is for Vino (56:25)
So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!
Cheers!!