Portugal Flashcards
1
Q
What is the mnemonic for Portugal’s principal wine regions?
A
Vinny & Dora Do Business As Limited Partners Terribly
VI nho Verde
DO uro
DA o
BA irrada
AL entejo
LI sboa
PE ninsula de Setúbal
TE jo
2
Q
What are the appellation laws and regulations of Portugal?
A
Portugal follows a PDO & PGI system as follows:
DOC/DOP - Denominação de Origem Controlada/Protegida = PDO
- 31DOC’s with own regluations on grape growing, winemaking and
- All wines must be officially tested, tasted and approved
VR - Vinho Regional = PGI
- 14 VR’s with less stringent laws than PDO’s.
- Often permit international varieites and wider selection of varieties in general
Vinho - Term used for wines that are neither DOC or VR
3
Q
Describe the growing environment in Vinho Verde DOC
A
- NW corner with Atlantic to west; River Minho/border w/Spain to north; mountains to east and River Douro to south.
- Moderate maritime climate, and network of river valleys funnel Altantic winds inland.
- Land rises to east where soils become poorer and climate more continental; warmer, drier subregions eg Baião & Monção e Melgaço, are good for late ripening varieties, esp Alvarinho).
- High rain, 1500mm; vintage variation can be marked and affect ripening and yields.
- Vyards mainly on granitic bedrock w/shallow topsoil of decomposed granite (sandy, good drainage) having low fertility making fertilisers common
4
Q
Describe grape growing in Vinho Verde DOC
A
- Rainfall throughout year = high fungal pressure so air circulation is critical; most modern vyards are VSP trellised (Guyot or lyre), trained high from the ground for air circulation.
- Summer pruning for vigorous varieties (lateral shoots, leaves, green harvesting) enhances ripening and aids air circulation.
5
Q
What are the key grape varieties in Vinho Verde DOC?
A
- Loureiro - MPV; mid-ripening, citrus/pear/herbal/floral; med+ acidity
- Alvarinho - 2nd MPV; late-ripening (so fuller body/higher alc); citrus/peach/tropical/herbal
- Pederña - 3rd MPV (aka Arinto); mid-ripening, neutral wines w/subtle citrus/apple & high acidity
- Avesso - late-ripening (needs warm/dry to ripen fully); full-bodied citrus/stone, grown in warmer, drier south
- Trajadura - low acidity, apple/peach blended w/higher acid varieties
- Vinhão (aka Sousão/Sousón) MPV black; deep colored w/cherry, noted for high acidity
6
Q
Comment on winemaking and wine law in Vinho Verde DOC
A
- Hi-vol, inexpensive wines use fruit sourced across the DOC and are blends. Made protectively and most bottled for early release, often w/CO2 injected beforehand. These wines are low alc, med+/high acidity, apple/citrus/peach depending on blend; some have rs. Usually good, made by co-ops or large merchants.
- Higher priced, very good quality wines are mainly from small producers and can be single-varietal or single subregion; ambient/vs cultured yeast; old oak ferm/mat, lees, etc for complexity & texture. A subregion may appear on label but these wines must have min 9% abv (vs 8% without).
- Single varietal Alvarinho wines from Monção e Melgaço have lower max yields, min abv 11.5% and only this subregion in the DOC can mention Alvarinho as single variety. Other subregions can only include Alvarinho on label if it is min 30% of the blend.
- Producers outside Monção e Melgaço can label single varietal Alvarhinho only if they declassify to VR (Minho VR).
7
Q
Comment on wine business in Vinho Verde DOC
A
- Ownership very fragmented; on average every grower owns less than 1/10th ha(!) and most deliver to co-ops, large merchants.
- 400 growers bottle their own wines.
- Significant producers are Anselmo Mendes, Quinta de Soalheiro.
- Exports growing gradually (2019 35% of production)
- Key markets: By volume, Germany, USA, Brazil, France (USA leads in terms of value)
8
Q
Describe the growing environment of the Douro DOC
A
- Runs west to east along Douro River, from Spanish border to Mesão Frio;
- sheltered by Serra do Marão (1415 m) from Atlantic influence, hence, PDO has warm cont’l climate but as in any river valley w/tributaries, a range of slopes, aspects, microclimates so site selection is important.
- There are 3 subregions (east to west):
Douro Superior - hot, arid (450mm/yr)
Cima Corgo - warmer, drier (700mm/yr)
Baixo Corgo - coolest, wettest (900mm/yr)
- Soil is stony, decomposed schist above schist bedrock which fractures vertically allowing roots to penetrate deeply; important b/c no irrigation set up and area is drought-prone.
Layouts same as for Port - socalcos, patamares, vinha ao alto
9
Q
Describe grape/grape growing in Douro DOC
A
- Wines usually blended from range of sites; there are some single-vineyard tho’ but producers seek ripe but not overripe grapes and site blending can achieve year over year despite variances in weather. Single varietal are very rare.
Black Grapes:
- Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Sousão
- Touriga Franca (high color/tannin, black/floral) & Touriga Nacional (med body/alc; red/black/flora) are typical lead grapes b/c ripe but not jammy fruit and retain acidity
White Grapes
- Viosinho (full body, floral/stone, can lack acidity), Rabigato (high acidity, citrus/floral); Goudeio (med+ acidity, citrus/stone); Moscatel Galego Blanco, gen’ly planted at highest altitudes to retain acidity.
10
Q
Describe winemaking in the Douro DOC
A
- Grapes usu. destemmed b/c very high tannins in Douro varieties.
- Temp controlled st steel. Low temp for reds (24-28C) to control extraction. Some use % crushed & fermented in lagares as these facilitate monitoring extraction b/c open.
- Early drinking wines are drained off the skins while premium wines made for ageing will undergo post-ferm maceration to extract, soften tannins.
- Maturation: Trad’l = large barrels of Portuguese oak. Modern = French oak, barriques, with trend to bigger for less oak to highlight fruit.
- White wines, 2 styles: Early drinking = st steel, cool ferm, cultured yeast bottled for early release. Premium = old vine grapes, ferm/mature in new/old oak.
White grapes: Viosinho, Rabigato, Goudeio, Mosc Galego Branco.
11
Q
Comment on wine business in The Douro DOC
A
- Still wine is 30% of production in the DOC, growing steadily. VR Duriense production is less than the DOC but is an option for using int’l varieties.
- Large choice of premium wines, many named, single quinta. Best known Port producers make a range of still w/top wines from estates or parcels earmarked for still.
- Inexpensive, hi-vol wines use grapes from several quintas (some owned by growers), usu made by co-op (23 in the DOC)
- Benefício generates an artificially low price for table wine as does oversupply. This gives entry-level Douro wines a price advantage
12
Q
Describe the growing environment of Dão DOC
A
- DOC is inland; Vinho Verde to N & Bairrada to S. Surrounded by mountains, protected from Atlantic infl. to west and warm, arid conditions to east and south.
- Medit. climate (warm, dry summers, mild winters), high rainfall 1600mm/yr west, 1100mm/yr east, in autumn and winter.
- Mixed topography = range of alt/aspects, w/most vyards 400-500m = high diurnal.
- Free draining sandy/loamy/DG, low-nutrient soil controls vigor but hydric stress during ripening is an issue.
- Hail (summer), spring frost in flat/low laying prone to cold mountain air descending.
- Gentle slopes. Bush vines traditional, most modern VSP trellised, 1 or 2 guyot.
13
Q
Describe grape varieties and winemaking in the Dão DOC
A
80% of production is red wine from:
- Touriga Naçional: Deep color, high tannin & acidity black/floral/herbal
- Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo in Spain): early-ripen, deep color, med tannins, full body
- Jaen/Mencia: Med acidity rasp/blackberry
- Alfrocheiro: Med tannin & body, straw/blackberry
- Trad’l: High extraction but astringent. Now: shorter maceration w/oak age (trend is lower % new oak); lighter style than Douro; good to outstanding and mid to prem/super prem
- Encruzado is key white for high quality wines; med+ acidity, full bodied wines w/lemon/peach/floral. Made protectively for fresher style vs oak aged for complex, ageworthy wines. Good to v. good; some outstanding
Other whites: Malvasia Fina, Bical, Cercial
14
Q
Why are red wines in the Dão DOC less full-bodied and intense than those in the Douro DOC?
A
- Grape Varieties: Douro wines are blends based on T. Nacional & T Franca, both highly tannic and in Douro’s climate, both with high potential alcohol while Dão’s wines are blends based on T Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Jaen, and Alfrocheiro, grapes that generally make wines with more elegance and aromatic complexity.
- Climate: Douro hotter & dryer; Dão cooler & wetter so grapes retain more acidity while ripening & wines are more elegant.
- Soils: Douro soils are schist, which retain heat and radiate it back at night, elongating the ripening hours so wines will feature riper, more intense fruit. Dão soils are granitic, which also retains heat during the day but loses it at night, allowing grapes to preserve more acidity, so wines will be more textured, structured and elegant.
- Winemaking: T. Franca & T. Nacional, the 2 lead varieties for Douro wines give deep color, ripe concentrated fruit and have high tannins, therefore destemming and cooler fermentation or using lagares all help control tannin extraction. Dao wines include Jaen & Alfrocheiro, both of which lighten and soften the wines.
- Maturation Douro wines are more commonly matured in 225 L barriques, adding complexity, while in Dão, short maceration in oak is more common to highlight fruit.
15
Q
Comment on wine business in Dão DOC
A
- Highly fragmented: >90% of 30K growers own <0.5 ha.
- Sogrape now leads in making higher quality wines at all price points (vs co-ops under old legislation that favored them)
- Growing number of quality-focused private companies making premium wines, including young winemakers attracted by the DOC’s potential.
- Only 15-20% production is exported (Canada, Brazil, USA, China)
- Significant producers: Vinha Paz, Quinta de Pellada
