Wines of Portugal: Making a world of difference

A World of diversity

Portugal is a World waiting to be discovered … The Wines of Portugal stand out for their wealth of grape varieties and diversity of terroirs, combined with the ancient wisdom and knowledge of its people. With more than 250 indigenous varieties, Portugal is the European country with the greatest diversity of grape varieties per square kilometer. 

In a small country, which is the 109th in the world in land area, Portugal contains 14 wine regions producing unique and distinct wines. From hot and dry to humid and cold climates, Portugal manages to produce many different styles of wines. To travel through this country is to be surrounded by unforgettable landscapes, to be delighted by its rich cuisine and to be embraced by the warmth of the Portuguese people while enjoying their great wines. 

History of Wines of Portugal

The origin of wines in Portugal seems to date back to around 2000 BC, when the mythical and hypothetical civilisation of Tartessos flourished, using it as its currency of exchange. Slowly, the wines from Portugal gained notoriety, and in the second half of the 14th century wine production went through a phase of great development and exportation.

Support from Europe was essential for the viability of countless modern vineyards and wineries that boosted winemaking activity; at the same time, a new generation of producers and oenologists was being prepared at Portuguese universities in the areas of viticulture and oenology, allowing them to acquire further experience in the winemaking world.

In 2010, the Vinhos de Portugal / Wines of Portugal brand was created, which is a collective brand and a means of communicating Portuguese wines around the world.

The First Designated wine region

Douro Wine was the world’s first designated and regulated wine region by 1756. Today, it is also a UNESCO world heritage site acknowledging its long tradition of viticulture and its landscape of outstanding beauty. 

With the financial support of the World Bank, the Douro Valley was reorganised, to be followed by other regions, and a new appellation system was introduced for regional and quality wines. With extensive EU subsidies in the 90’s, huge investment was possible in both vineyards and wineries – resulting in a revolutionary improvement in wine quality. Many private estates began to build facilities to make and bottle their own wines, rather than delivering their grapes or wines to co-operatives or large wine companies. 

For centuries, sons have followed fathers into the family wine business, and have thereby maintained family traditions and customs. Today, new generations are still taking over family businesses, and benefiting from the experience of their predecessors. The difference is that this new generation of winemakers is highly trained, and enjoys a new professional status within the Portuguese wine trade. The schools Instituto Superior de Agronomia – ISA, in Lisbon, and the Universidade de Vila Real, in Vila Real, were the main responsibles for the trainning of this new generation of winemakers. These schools changed mentalities, introduced new technics and technologies throughout the country, accelerating the modernization of traditional wine regions or even contributing the development of new wine regions. This new generation of grape-growers and winemakers considers itself to be guardian of a valuable and unique treasure: the plethora of indigenous grape varieties that makes Portuguese wines so distinctive. 

Indigenous grape varieties

No other country has a range of indigenous grape varieties to match Portugal’s. This huge palette of different grapes was introduced to Portugal over a long and exciting history of wine-making, traced by archaeologists back to the Bronze Age. Tartessians, Phoenicians, Romans, all left their winemaking mark here. And centuries of isolation then prevented further exchange with other wine producing countries such as Spain and France. So Portuguese growers concentrated on the fine flavours to be found in their own grape varieties. 

The spectrum of characterful, top-quality grapes is impressive: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Trincadeira, Aragonez, Baga, Castelão, Alvarinho, Arinto, Fernão Pires, Encruzado and many others, responsible for the incomparable character of Portuguese wines. While much of the wine world concentrates on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, in Portugal wine-lovers can enjoy a distinctive and impressive array of different flavours. Portugal has in excess of 250 indigenous grapes, only a few of which have travelled (in a very small way) anywhere else in the world. They don’t know what they’re missing! 

Wine Tourism

Portugal is a country with a strong winemaking tradition and the excellent quality of its wines is recognised all over the world, with numerous prizes and distinctions awarded in international competitions. 

Tasting Rooms

Discovering the diversity of Portuguese wines in a single place through a selection of wines from different regions is the motto of the Vinhos de Portugal Tasting Rooms, located in prime areas of Lisbon and Porto.

Portuguese wine with food

There are many facets within an individual wine that will influence the food that it will be most suited to accompany; the grape variety, acidity levels, fruitiness, oak, tannin, sweetness level and intensity. So there you are, in front of the shelves, or perusing the wine list: how do you go about selecting the best wine for the occasion?

White Vinho Verde with Thai roast duck curry, smoked mackerel, salads, hummus
Red Vinho Verde with grilled sardines
Bairrada/Baga with fresh tuna, roast partridge, chilli con carne, soft goat’s cheese Aragonez with feijoada (bean stew) or cassoulet, Gorgonzola, thyme-flavoured dishes, lamb, liver, bacalhau 

Red Dão with pork, roast suckling pig, kidneys, presunto (cured ham) Un-oaked or subtly oaked Touriga Nacional with beef Setúbal with tiramisu, Christmas pudding, banoffee pie, lemon tart Bual Madeira with Roquefort, Stilton, Gjetöst 

Douro red with fresh goat’s cheese, old Gouda, Stilton 10-year-old tawny port with Queijo da Serra, Stilton, walnuts Ruby or Vintage Port with Queijo da Serra 

One is invited to experiment and see if you agree! 

Portugalwines – Thailand 2022

Portugalwines – Thailand 2022 was an initiative organised by the aicep Portugal Global the Trade and Investment Agency from Portugal in Bangkok with support from the Embassy of Portugal and a fund from the European Union.

This initiative presented a wide range of wines from 25 Portuguese winemakers interested in promoting their wines in the Thai market, including Red, White, Rose, and Port wines. Its objectives were to increase awareness of Portuguese wines in Thailand and to connect potential importers and distributors with these winemakers for their future businesses.

ViniPortugal is an Inter-professional Association recognized by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and in charge of representing the entire Portuguese wine sector. 

For further information, visit the website: www.viniportugal.pt
or www.winesofportugal.com