Explore Food & Wine

PORTUGAL FOOD AND WINES

The wines of Portugal are so diverse and the number of producers so extensive it’s a wonder how any one can write a structured blog about them. So I am not going to try. This blog sets the scene to be followed by blogs of the area’s and producers

Portuguese wines are known by their origin.
Port is a great example but as the port producers diversified, new wines as ‘blush’ red or deep rose, wines which are lighter versions than port came on the scene.

The traditional producers are producing great red wines. These are from single ‘Quinta ‘ vineyards.

I like the rose white port made by Johnny Graham. It’s a light rose in colour and can be drank any time. I will go into more detail in my next post on Portugal.

Port producers point out the many varieties of port and one of their favourites is tawny port made by a different process to vintage port. A good old vintage with a velvety taste and richness still takes some beating but is considered heavy in these times.

Port is produced in the North, as is Vinho Verde and Rose. Mateus by the way is nothing like the original sweet wine produced many years ago. The dry variation is worth trying.

As we go south we come to the Bairrada and Dao regions

The Dao region is set inland in its own unique climate great wine is being made there. I will tell you more about the wonderful wines produced by Luís Lourenço at Quinta das Rochas. I will tell you which wine he likes with fried eggs!! I have to mention Peter Viktor Eckert’s boutique winery Quinta das Marias. He very kindly showed me round his winery whilst the new grapes were being stomped in the larger. The concentration of flavour in his wine is astonishing.

Bairrada is the home of some great innovators of wine Louis Pato being the most prominent. But its sparkling wines are a revelation, [sorry champagne]

Ribatejo [meaning on the banks of the Tagus river] is next south followed by the area around Lisbon and Setubal.

The Alentajo [meaning beyond the Tagus river] runs inland from Lisbon and south towards the Algarve. Its wines reflect the hot dry sunny conditions full of power fruit and structure. Zambujeio is a classic example, The wines of Herdade Grous are exceptional and made in an innovative way.
Richard Mayson continues to develop his wines at Pedra Basta. His 2007 is balanced with potential to develop but the newly bottled 2008 has lots of promise.

Last is the Algarve with its developing wines.

Virtually the whole country produces wines. Each region uses a comprehensive variety of grapes. The result is a stunning array of wines available. There are wines for every taste.

Portugal is famous for fish. The meat is fresh and tasty as are the vegetables.
My next page will be about Great wines and interesting food of Portugal.