Wines of PORTUGAL

 

PORTUGAL

·         Climate not quite conducive for viticulture.

·         Even then, great variety and sufficient quantity.

·         15% of the populace is involved in wine trade.

·         Some excellent reds, whites and rosés.

·         Govt. has introduced standards of designating wines.

·         Best wines are labeled Designacio de Origen (DO).

·         Majority are small-scale growers.

·         Most of them are members of co-operatives.

MAJOR WINE-PRODUCING AREAS

Entre Douro o Minho

·         Northerly region, south of Spain.

·         25% of all Portuguese wines.

·         Vinho Verde (green wines)

   - For the youth of the wines, not colour.

   - enjoyed quite young.

   - Both reds and whites.

Douro & Dāo

·         In the northern mountains lies the Douro region.

·         Famous for Port wines.

·         Also much table wines (both red & white).

·         Dāo is in north-central Portugal.

·         Best are the reds.

 

 

Other Regions

·         Bairrada (mostly reds)

·         Bucelas (mostly whites)

·         Colares (reds & whites)

·         Carcavelos (fortified sweet wines)

·         Sétubal (famous for the dessert wine Moscatel de Sétubal).

PORT

·         Only 5% of all wines.

·         Shipped to England since the 14th century.

·         Trade flourished from 1703 with Queen Anne’s decree.

Grapes

·         Rich in sugar at the time of harvest.

·         Two types of grapes:

   - Turiga, Mourisco, Bastardo (with a fruity finesse but lack in colour and body)

   - Cao, Tinta Francisca, Souza (for red colour and body)

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF PORT

·         Grapes, with the skin and the pips, are placed in oblong lagars.

·         Men and women tread with stockinged feet (traditional).

·         Fermentation begins at once.

·         Allowed to continue for two to three days.

·         When desired sugar is left (about 5% by weight), the must is run off into pipes containing brandy (alcohol-content just below 20%).

·         Very strong, takes time to mature.

·         New wine remains in quinta till spring.

·         Racked repeatedly in fresh pipes.

·         Shipped by sailing boats on Douro river.

·         Taken to the wine lodges (owned by shippers) in the towns of Oporto and Villa Nova de Gaia.

·         Carefully stored in the wine lodges till the type(s) are decided upon.

TYPES OF PORT

Vintage Port

·         In exceptional years only (twice or thrice in a decade).

·         Bottled 2 to 3 years after vintage.

·         Upward of 20 years in bottle to reach the prime.

·         Two dates on label: vintage & bottling.

·         Heavy deposit on the side of the bottle.

·         Solid crust sticks to the side.

·         Careless handling may break the crust and render the wine cloudy (irreversible).

·         Deep colour, fruity bouquet, heaviest-bodied.

Crusted Port

·         One notch down than vintage port.

·         Usually of a single year (or blended).

·         No date on label.

·         Aged in wood for a few years (longer than vintage port) – faster maturation.

·         Then matured in the bottle.

·         Crust in the bottle – careful decantation.

Wood Ports (Ruby & Tawny)

·         Always blended.

·         Fully matured in cask.

·         Spends short time in bottle before consumption.

·         Named after the colour they acquire:

   - Ruby – bright, ruby-coloured, generally fruiter and rougher than tawny.

   - Tawny – brownish, softer than vintage, crusted or ruby.

·         Tawny most exported, with Ruby second.

White Port

·         Same process.

·         Generally soft and pleasant.

·         Very popular apéritif in France.

USES OF PORT

·         Essentially a dessert wine.

·         Popular after-dinner drink.

·         Goes well with fruits and cheese.

·         Kitchen – sauces, jellies, fruit cups, etc.

MADEIRA

·         A famous dessert wine from Portugal.

·         From the Atlantic island of Madeira.

·         A subtle acid undertone (tang) due to volcanic soil.

Manufacturing Process

Fermentation takes 2 to 4 weeks

â

3% brandy added = vinho claro

â

Matured in estufa for 3 to 6 months (110º to 140ºF) = vinho estufado

â

Allowed to rest for some time and racked = vinho trasfugado

 

â

Fortified till 20% = vinho generoso

â

Blended with wines of similar character

â

Matured for a number of years

Types & Brands

·         Made from entirely one grape – Grape-name.

·         Made from a mixture of grapes – Trade name.

Grape Varieties

·         Malmsey: full-bodied, dark brown, very sweet.

·         Bual: golden, fragrant, slightly less sweet than Malmsey.

·         Verdelho: medium-rich, golden, dry – taken before/after meals.

·         Sercial: driest madeira, pale golden, good body.

USES OF MADEIRA

·         Good apéritif.

·         Goes well with soup.

·         Excellent dessert wine.

·         Best served in the afternoon/evening with biscuits as a tonic wine.

·         Kitchen – soups, sauces, desserts and substitutes sherry.

SOME PORTUGUESE LABEL TERMS

·         Branco: white

·         Tinto: red

·         Rosado: rosé

·         Clarete: light red wine

·         Seco: dry

·         Dolce: sweet

·         Maduro: any wine that is not a vino verde.

·         Quinta: estate

·         Espumante: sparkling wine

·         Vinho de mesa: table wine

·         Quinta: estate/firm

·         Vinha: vineyard

·         Engarrafado na Origen: estate bottled

Best names in Madeira

·         BLANDY

·         HENRIQUES

·         BARBEITO

·         COSSART GORDON

·         RUTHERFORD&MILES

·         LEACOCK

·         JOSE MARIA DA FONESCA

·         PERIQUITA