Portugal Flashcards
Learn about Portugal's DOP system, major growing regions + their grapes + styles, climate, and topography. Does not include Port.
What is Portugal flanked by?
Atlantic Ocean to the west
Spain to the east (and north -> Rías Baixas DO)
What are the 3 specific climates of Portugal and where are they?
- Maritime = Northern Portugal including northern coastal area; humid, cooler than the other areas
- Mediterranean = central + southern coastal areas
- Continental = interior areas from north to south
How many indigenous Portuguese cultivars are there?
>200
Wines WITHOUT geographical indication are called this in Portugal:
Vinho (pronouced VEEN-yo)
Wines WITH geographical indication in Portugal have 2 classification levels:
- IGP (Indicação Geográfica Protegida)
- DOP (Denominação de Origen Protegida)
What qualifications must an IGP wine meet to use the IGP designation?
- 85% of the grapes must be from the indicated region
- several grapes allowed to be planted/used
- it’s a larger regional designation, so where the grapes can come from is a bigger area than that of DOP
- minimum abv for regional designations
What qualifications must a DOP wine meet to use the DOP designation?
- style, yields, minimum abv, and aging requirements are regulated per DOP
- DOP is the top quality designation in Portugal
- DOPs are smaller regions nested within IGPs
What are the 5 DOP regions in Portugal to know for this exam?
- Vinho Verde DOP (north coast)
- Douro DOP (north interior, next to Spain)
- Dão DOP (north-central interior)
- Bairrada DOP (central/north-ish coast)
- Alentejo DOP (south interior, next to Spain, HOT)
What is the largest DOP in Portugal?
Vinho Verde DOP
Where is Vinho Verde DOP?
What are its borders?
- Northern Portugal
- Borders Atlantic coast
- Borders Spain’s Rías Baixas DO
What does the name ‘Vinho Verde’ tell you about the wine that comes from this DOP?
Translates to “green wine,” indicating it youthfulness and when it should be drunk (young)
What is the climate of Vinho Verde DOP?
- Maritime
- Cool, rainy, humid
What are the white grapes grown in Vinho Verde DOP?
- Loureiro (highest plantings)
- Trajadura
- Alvarinho (aka Albariño in Spain)
What is the style of Vinho Verde DOP?
- Fresh
- Lip-smacking acidity
- Effervescent
- Light bodied (usually low abv)
How do Vinho Verdes get their effervescence?
Most are force carbonated
Which DOP lies directly east of Vinho Verde DOP?
Douro DOP
What is the location of Douro DOP?
- Northeast Portugal
- Along border of Spain
What is the river that runs through Douro DOP?
What river does it become in Spain?
Douro River
Becomes the Duero River in Spain, which runs through Ribera del Duero
The ____ wine region in Portugal was one of the first demarcated in the world.
Douro
The Douro Valley (not the Douro DOP) is best known for what style of wine?
Fortified wines from the Porto DOP, aka Port wines.
What are the 3 subregions of Douro DOP?
What are their climates like?
From west to east:
- Baixo Corgo - somewhat influenced by Atlantic
- Cima Corgo - drier, more Continental climate
- Douro Superior - hot and dry
What is the landscape of Douro DOP like?
Mountainous, isolated, lots of steep and terraced mountainsides.
What is the soil in Douro DOP’s top vineyards?
Schist / granite
What is the Douro DOP’s top red grape?
Touriga Nacional
There are several other varieties, but this is Portugal’s most important and cherished red grape.
What does the word ‘quinta’ translate to in English?
Single vineyard
What style of wine is the Douro DOP known for?
- Full bodied, rich, intense, dry, concentrated red wines
- Almost always blends of varying red grapes, including both indigenous and international varietals, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
What is the widely used traditional term for PGI wines in Portugal?
Vinhos Regional (VR)
There are 14 VRs in Portugal and are often produced in DOP regions, but fail—or their winemakers choose not—to meet all of the DOP requirements. For example, Vinho Verde DOC is the same footprint for Minho VR, but Vinho Verde DOC has stricter requirements.
What is Minho’s most heavily planted white grape?
Loureiro
Name one red grape and one white grape grown in the Dão DOP.
Red: Alfrocheiro
White: Bical
What is the Douro’s most important red grape?
Touriga Nacional
What is Bairrada’s most important grape?
Baga
Name 2 important red grapes grown in Alentejo.
- Alfrocheiro
- Alicante-Bouschet
Name one important DOP near Lisbon.
Colares DOP
Colares DOP makes red wines from ___ and white wines from ___.
Ramisco and Malvasia
Setúbal DOP is best known for this style of wine.
vinhos licoroso
made with Moscatel
