Portugal - August 2019

What better place to finish this summer’s Grand Tour than sunny Portugal? Although frequently overshadowed by neighboring Spain, I happen to think Portugal is putting out some of Europe’s most interesting wines at the moment. Will you have to do a little digging? Sure, but isn’t that what the Grand Tour is all about? This August, I want to highlight four of my favorite growing areas in this small yet fierce country: Minho, Dão, Colares, and Alentejo.

There’s so much more than meets the eye in the world of Portuguese viticulture. The wine production is extremely diverse for such a small country, ranging from poppy, effervescent whites to big-boned, boisterous reds (and a ton of sweet fortified wines in between, of course). Portugal's viticultural roots run pretty deep. Like many European countries, the land that comprises modern day Portugal was first cultivated by the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, the latter of which exported wine to foreign destinations. As the centuries passed, production expanded (halted briefly, of course, by the phylloxera epidemic), and more stringent appellation designations were put into place by the late 20th century. Today, Portuguese wine production is more versatile than ever, with over 250 varieties planted and a slew of vinification styles implemented.

Surprisingly, Portugal’s Douro region actually created an appellation system to designate high-quality bottles from table wines nearly two full centuries before the French did. The designations that the country adheres to today (in descending order) are: Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC), Vinho Regional (VR), and Vinho de Mesa (Table Wine.) In terms of regions, Portugal has about 14, give or take how you break them down. With this month’s Grand Tour, we’ll focus on four of my top picks.

First, there’s Minho, where wines dubbed ‘Vinho Verde’ call home. The region’s name technically translates to ‘green wine,’ but the phrase has nothing to do with the color of the juice and everything to do with the age of the wine (think ‘young wine’.) Here, Loureiro and Alvarinho reign king, though a bunch of other indigenous varieties are cultivated among these two big players. The region’s climate is rather mild, though annual rainfall is higher than in other parts of the country. Vinho Verde wines are known for their effervescence and low ABV, creating fresh, spritzy wines that are perfect for afternoon sipping. Planning a park picnic or beach outing beneath the sun? Slap a nice chill on this bottle and be sure to bring it along!

Head south from Minho and you’ll hit Dão. Unlike Minho, nearly 80% of Dão’s wine production is red. In fact, the region is home to Portugal’s signature red wine grape, Touriga Nacional. Here, fruit grows at higher altitudes in sandy schist and granite soils, creating lighter-bodied wines than neighboring regions.

Continue farther southwest and you’ll hit the overarching Lisboa region where Colares is located. Colares is home to some of the oldest vines in the world, thanks to its sandy, phylloxera-resistant soils. Yep, that’s right -- when nearly all of Europe’s viticulture was wiped out from the pest, only a few sandy-soiled regions held fast. Colares was one of them! Colares’ climate is moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic, which also provides an abundance of saline-tinged breezes throughout the region’s vineyards, which are mostly dedicated to the region’s signature variety, Ramisco. Portugal’s southeastern area is home to the well-known Alentejo appellation, synonymous with scorching temperatures, cork production, and robust red blends.

Personally, I find that Portuguese wines are some of the best for late-summer sipping, perfect for barbecues, beach parties, and simple get-togethers outdoors. For refreshing, low-alcohol whites at lunch, looking to Vinho Verde is a no-brainer. For simple aperitifs on the patio, sipping an unoaked, refreshing bottle of Portuguese red is key. And for backyard barbecues with friends, a structured, well-balanced red from southern Portugal is an ideal selection for burgers, red meat, and all things grilled.

As the locals would say, saúde!

Dustin Wilson, Master Sommelier