Famous for its port wine, Portugal is now getting popular for its diverse and fruity wines.
Ports and wines
A brief history of the vineyard
The culture of wine in Portugal dates back to 2000 BC when the Tartars planted the first vines in the Taje and Sado valleys. It then developed during antiquity, when new varieties of grapes and the wine trade were established. The Greeks, Celts and Romans modernized viticulture in Portugal.
The golden age occurred during the colonial period. At the time, lots of Portuguese wines were exported all around the world. And after the 17th century, port wines especially started getting popular.
Vineyards hardly survived the phylloxera crisis.
But in the 1970’s, Portugal initiated a true revolution in its wine production. Also, the European Union delimited several new wine regions.
Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional
Portugal is mainly known for its Ports.
However, in recent years, producers have modernized their winemaking methods and produce true quality wines. And with the diversity of soils, climates and grape varieties, Portuguese wines are as diverse as tasteful.
Also, despite the popularity of international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Portuguese producers have preserved the authenticity of their wines and use mainly autochthonous grape varieties such as Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.
194,000 ha
The main wine regions are located in the North and Center of the country:
Estremadura, Douro, Minho, Alentejo, Terras do Sado, Beiras, Bairrada and the Dão region.
Extent of the vineyard
Portuguese vineyards extend over 194,000 hectares. The country is the 9th biggest wine producer with a total area that represents nearly 3% of the world’s vineyards. (OIV, 2021).
