31 January 22
Discover the various wine regions of Portugal
When people travel to Portugal and want to try some wines, most people think that they can only do that in Porto and the Douro Valley so, today, we want to demystify this for you since Portugal is a wine-producing country and has a lot more to offer!
Of course, Port and Douro wines are delicious and very important in the Portuguese wine panorama but there are other regions you should know about for your next trip to our beautiful country.
There are 14 demarcated wine regions in Portugal each of them corresponding to a Geographical Indication, within which there is at least one DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin). There are currently 31 DOCs in Portugal.
The demarcated regions of Portugal correspond to the fourth largest area of vineyards in Europe, covering 199 thousand hectares.
In these regions, 343 types of grape varieties are cultivated and suitable for wine production. According to the Instituto do Vinho e da Vinha (Wine and Vineyard Institute), there are 149 whites and 194 reds, of which 250 are autochthonous, that is, of Portuguese origins such as Alvarinho, Alfrocheiro, and Touriga Nacional.
So, here is a little bit more information about the different regions:
Vinho Verde
Is one of the most original and distinctive regions of Portugal, marked by an extreme Atlantic influence, in a green and humid landscape, with cool temperatures and abundant rainfall. White wines are particularly aromatic, clear, and refreshing. Since 1999, the region has also produced sparkling wines, announcing itself as one of the most promising places for quality sparkling wines.
Trás-os-Montes
Is located in the remote northeast of continental Portugal, separated from the coast by a series of mountains.
Porto and Douro
The Douro is one of the wildest and most rugged regions in Portugal, carved by the valley of the Douro River and the poverty of the schistous soils. It is one of the richest regions in terms of indigenous grape varieties, with hundreds of unique varieties and an extensive area of old vines, sometimes planted with dozens of varieties mixed.
Távora and Varosa
Due to its morphological characteristics of a valley embedded at high altitudes, the small region of Távora-Varosa is especially suited to the production of sparkling wines. It was the first national wine region to be demarcated for the production of DOC sparkling wine in 1989.
Dão and Lafões
Surrounded by mountains in all directions, based on very poor granite soils, the Dão region extends its vineyards scattered among pine forests at different altitudes, from 1,000 meters in the Serra da Estrela to 200 meters in the lower areas. As a rule, Lafões wines are acidic, similar to the neighboring Vinho Verde denomination.
Bairrada
It is a flat, coastal region that develops along a maritime coastal strip, with a marked Atlantic influence, with abundant rainfall and mild average temperatures. The cool and humid climate favors the elaboration of sparkling wines, providing grapes of high acidity and low alcoholic content.
Beira Interior
It is the most mountainous region of continental Portugal, comprising some of the highest mountains in the country. In the Beiras region, the beginning of vine culture dates back to Roman times. There are several wine presses carved on granite rocks that were used to produce wine.
Lisbon
The rolling hills that stretch along the Atlantic coast north of Lisbon are home to some of the most productive and heterogeneous areas in Portugal. The wines from coastal areas have very low alcoholic concentrations, with lightness comparable to the wines from Minho.
Tejo
To the Portuguese, Tejo is known as the land of vineyards, olive groves, cork forests, Mertolengo cattle, and the famous Lusitano horses. With a focus on quality and balance, the wines of Tejo are some of the most vibrant and affordable produced in Portugal today, offering a diverse array of styles appealing to all tastes and budgets.
Península de Setúbal
Peninsula de Setúbal varies between flat, sandy areas and the more mountainous landscape of the Serra da Arrábida. This is the birthplace of Moscatel de Setúbal, one of Portugal's most renowned wines.
Alentejo
A region of rolling plains, the Alentejo has a relatively smooth and flat landscape that stretches across almost a third of mainland Portugal. Borba, Évora, Redondo, and Reguengos embody the Alentejo identity, a land of balance and harmony, in the right proportion between freshness and fruit, energy and softness.
Algarve
Situated in the south of mainland Portugal, the Algarve is separated from the Alentejo plain by an almost unbroken mountain range that runs from the Spanish border to the Atlantic coast. Protected from the hot, dry northern winds by the mountain system, enjoying over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, the Algarve presents itself as one of the regions with the greatest growth potential in Portugal.
Madeira
Madeira wine is a fortified wine with an almost unlimited storage capacity, managing to survive for more than two centuries. The four noble grape varieties are Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, and Malvasia, all white, vinified to provide different degrees of sweetness.
Azores
The Azores archipelago, made up of nine islands, is in the Atlantic Ocean, midway between the European and North American continents. Historically, the vines were established inside corrals, sheltered from the weather by volcanic stone walls that, by releasing the heat accumulated during the day, help to warm the vines at night, also protecting them from the aggressiveness and inclemency of maritime winds.
We invite you to visit the webpage of the Wines of Portugal for more information about each region and some curiosities, and we’ll be more than glad to help you book the tastings you want during your next visit to Portugal.
There are 14 demarcated wine regions in Portugal each of them corresponding to a Geographical Indication, within which there is at least one DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin). There are currently 31 DOCs in Portugal.
The demarcated regions of Portugal correspond to the fourth largest area of vineyards in Europe, covering 199 thousand hectares.
In these regions, 343 types of grape varieties are cultivated and suitable for wine production. According to the Instituto do Vinho e da Vinha (Wine and Vineyard Institute), there are 149 whites and 194 reds, of which 250 are autochthonous, that is, of Portuguese origins such as Alvarinho, Alfrocheiro, and Touriga Nacional.
So, here is a little bit more information about the different regions:
Vinho Verde
Is one of the most original and distinctive regions of Portugal, marked by an extreme Atlantic influence, in a green and humid landscape, with cool temperatures and abundant rainfall. White wines are particularly aromatic, clear, and refreshing. Since 1999, the region has also produced sparkling wines, announcing itself as one of the most promising places for quality sparkling wines.
Trás-os-Montes
Is located in the remote northeast of continental Portugal, separated from the coast by a series of mountains.
Porto and Douro
The Douro is one of the wildest and most rugged regions in Portugal, carved by the valley of the Douro River and the poverty of the schistous soils. It is one of the richest regions in terms of indigenous grape varieties, with hundreds of unique varieties and an extensive area of old vines, sometimes planted with dozens of varieties mixed.
Távora and Varosa
Due to its morphological characteristics of a valley embedded at high altitudes, the small region of Távora-Varosa is especially suited to the production of sparkling wines. It was the first national wine region to be demarcated for the production of DOC sparkling wine in 1989.
Dão and Lafões
Surrounded by mountains in all directions, based on very poor granite soils, the Dão region extends its vineyards scattered among pine forests at different altitudes, from 1,000 meters in the Serra da Estrela to 200 meters in the lower areas. As a rule, Lafões wines are acidic, similar to the neighboring Vinho Verde denomination.
Bairrada
It is a flat, coastal region that develops along a maritime coastal strip, with a marked Atlantic influence, with abundant rainfall and mild average temperatures. The cool and humid climate favors the elaboration of sparkling wines, providing grapes of high acidity and low alcoholic content.
Beira Interior
It is the most mountainous region of continental Portugal, comprising some of the highest mountains in the country. In the Beiras region, the beginning of vine culture dates back to Roman times. There are several wine presses carved on granite rocks that were used to produce wine.
Lisbon
The rolling hills that stretch along the Atlantic coast north of Lisbon are home to some of the most productive and heterogeneous areas in Portugal. The wines from coastal areas have very low alcoholic concentrations, with lightness comparable to the wines from Minho.
Tejo
To the Portuguese, Tejo is known as the land of vineyards, olive groves, cork forests, Mertolengo cattle, and the famous Lusitano horses. With a focus on quality and balance, the wines of Tejo are some of the most vibrant and affordable produced in Portugal today, offering a diverse array of styles appealing to all tastes and budgets.
Península de Setúbal
Peninsula de Setúbal varies between flat, sandy areas and the more mountainous landscape of the Serra da Arrábida. This is the birthplace of Moscatel de Setúbal, one of Portugal's most renowned wines.
Alentejo
A region of rolling plains, the Alentejo has a relatively smooth and flat landscape that stretches across almost a third of mainland Portugal. Borba, Évora, Redondo, and Reguengos embody the Alentejo identity, a land of balance and harmony, in the right proportion between freshness and fruit, energy and softness.
Algarve
Situated in the south of mainland Portugal, the Algarve is separated from the Alentejo plain by an almost unbroken mountain range that runs from the Spanish border to the Atlantic coast. Protected from the hot, dry northern winds by the mountain system, enjoying over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, the Algarve presents itself as one of the regions with the greatest growth potential in Portugal.
Madeira
Madeira wine is a fortified wine with an almost unlimited storage capacity, managing to survive for more than two centuries. The four noble grape varieties are Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, and Malvasia, all white, vinified to provide different degrees of sweetness.
Azores
The Azores archipelago, made up of nine islands, is in the Atlantic Ocean, midway between the European and North American continents. Historically, the vines were established inside corrals, sheltered from the weather by volcanic stone walls that, by releasing the heat accumulated during the day, help to warm the vines at night, also protecting them from the aggressiveness and inclemency of maritime winds.
We invite you to visit the webpage of the Wines of Portugal for more information about each region and some curiosities, and we’ll be more than glad to help you book the tastings you want during your next visit to Portugal.