Unit 5 – Day 4: Portugal

On the fourth day of Unit 5 of the Intensive Sommelier Training at the International Culinary Center we studied the table wines of Portugal. The fortified and sweet wines of Portugal and Madera were covered the fifth day.

Introduction to Portugal

Portugal has a very warm to hot climate which makes it uniquely suitable to its 500+ indigenous grapes. They have, for the most part, avoided viticulutural syncretism by not accepting international varietals. In turn, very few regions outside of Portugal grow Portuguese grapes. But I have found a few in the California Central Valley that specialize in Portuguese wines, such as St. Jorge Winery in the northern Lodi wine country.

While Portugal is mostly known for its sweet wines from Oporto and they have had a long-standing relationship with England for that market, their reputation for their table wines is on the rise. Portugal currently ranks 11^th in the world in terms of total production.

The Grapes of Portugal

 

Alvarinho

The most important white grape in Portugal is Alvarinho (Albariño in Spain) and it is often used in the production of the white wines of Minho, particularly Vinho Verde. Another important white grape is Arinto which produces semi-aromatic, fresh fruity wines and it retains its acidity during ripening, even in hot conditions. It produces its finest wines in Bucelas DOC (within the IGP of Lisboa Region) but it is also an important part of the blend of Vinho Verde where it is known as Pedernã. Other lesser known white grapes include Loureiro, Trajadura, Ferrnao Pires, and Antao Vaz.

 

Touriga Nacional

The most important red grapes in Portugal are Touriga Nacional and Baga. Other red grapes which may be more known for their usage in producing Port include Touringa Francesa (Touriga Franca), Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Trincadeira and Castelão (I’ll discuss these further in the next review).

Portugal’s Labeling Terms

Portugal also has a number of important labeling terms, which are as follows:

Portuguese Labeling Terms
Vinho Tinto	Red wine
Vinho Branco	White Wine
Vino Rosado	Rosé Wine
Maduro	Old
Seco	Dry
Doce	Sweet
Colheita	Vintage
Garrafeira	Portuguese for “wine cellar” it can be applied to all Portuguese wines with geographical indication (DOC and IGP wines). Red Garrafeira wines require a minimum ageing of 30 months, of which 12 must be in glass bottles. White and rosé wines require 12 months with 6 in the bottle.
Quinta	Winery / Estate

Portugal’s Quality Levels

Like most of Old World Europe, Portugal’s quality levels are loosely based on that of the French model whereas many of the New World wine regions somewhat follow the AVA system of the USA.  Portugal has four quality levels which are as follows:

Portuguese Quality Designations
Vinho de Mesa (VM)	A “table wine” without geographical indication and loose restrictions.
Vinho Regional (VR)	Better quality “regional wines” with lower restrictions.
Indicação Geográfica Protegida (IGP)	Portuguese for PGI but the traditional term Vinho Regional is registered with the EU.
Denominação de Origem Protegida (DOP)	Portuguese for PDO but the traditional term Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) is registered with the EU.

Vinho Verde DOC

Vinho Verde is not a grape varietal. The name literally means “green wine,” but the designation actually refers to a “young wine”, as opposed to mature wine. It may be red, white or rosé, and it is intended to be consumed within a year of bottling.

Geography and Climate of Vinho Verde DOC

The Vinho Verde DOC is located in the north west of Portugal, with altitudes that can vary between 100 and 175 meters above sea level. The region’s geographical boundaries are defined by waterways - the Minho River to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and west – as well as the mountains in the south. While the proximity to the ocean has a significant impact on the climate the most significant feature is the annual rainfall which is on average about 1200 millimeters. The term Vinho Verde is limited to those wines that are produced in the Minho region in Portugal and the designation is protected with a PDO status.

The Wines of Vinho Verde

The Vinho Verde wines are light and fresh and often with some minor pétillance. But at less than one bar of CO₂ pressure, they do not quite qualify as semi-sparkling wines.

The white wines tend to be straw-colored, with high acidity, with fruity and floral aromas that depend on the grape variety and fairly low in alcohol ranging from 8.5 to 11% abv. They are made from local the grape varieties such Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso and Azal. But Vinho Alvarinho is made from Alvarinho grapes, from a small designated sub-region of Monção and Melgaço and it tends to have more alcohol (11.5 to 14%) with ripe tropical aromas.

The red wines of Vinhos Verdes are mostly made from Vinhão, Borraçal and Amaral grapes and tend to be deep red and tannic. The rosés are usually made from Espadeiro and Padeiro grapes and tend to be very fresh and fruity.

Douro DOC

The Douro DOC is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. It is located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Oporto and stretches from the Marão Mountains to the border of Spain. The climate varies from warm maritime in the west to hot and continental in the east. Vineyards are planted on steep hillsides on terraces or “patamares” when the inclination is greater than 35%, allowing two rows of vines, or in vertical system when less than 35%. The most important grape varieties in descending order are: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Boroca and Tinto Cão.

In the east, the most iconic Portuguese table wine produced is Barca Velha. The grape varieties of the blend typically are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão.

Dão DOC

The Dão DOC is located 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the Douro region. The topography is dominated by mountainous areas and valleys, with the vines planted on the gentler hills and valleys. The most important grape varieties are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro and Jaen.

The white wines of this region tend to have medium body and high acidity, especially when blended with Encruzado (also known as Salgueirinho). The best examples have delicate aromas of light citrus notes, roses and violets, a touch of resin and intense mineral notes. It is used both as a single variety and as a star ingredient in many Dão blends.

Bairrada DOC

The Bairrada DOC region lies between Dão and the Atlantic Ocean. The soils contain primarily heavy clay with high limestone. The region has a mild climate with rainy winters and warm summers and it is strongly influenced by the sea. The most important grape is Touriga Nacional along with Alfrocheiro (also known as Albarin Negro, Alfurcheiro, Tinta Bastardinha, and Tinta Francisca de Viseu) Camarate, Castelão and Baga.

 A Bairrada DOC Clãssico must be a blend of at least 50% Baga with the remaining consisting of the other previously mentioned grapes. This region is also known for its sparkling wine (espumante) and still wines made from Bical, which gives wines high acidity and ripe peach and pear aromas.

Lisboa IGP

The Lisboa IGP (previously known as Estemadura) covers the Atlantic coastal area north of Lisbon with Beiras IGP to the north and Tejo IGP to the east. This region has gentle slopes of limestone and clay soil and a warm maritime climate. Within this IGP are several DOCs including Alenquer, Bucelas and Colares.

Tejo IGP

The Tejo IGP (previously known as Vinho Regional Ribatejano) borders Lisboa IGP and includes Ribatejo DOC. It covers a large area crisscrossed by the River Tagus. There are three sub-regions: The Campo, the Bairro and the Charneca.

Peninsula De Setubal IGP

Peninsula De Setubal IGP  (formerly known as Vinho Regional Terras do Sado) is located south of Lisbon on the Atlantic Coast and includes two main sub-areas: hillsides with predominantly limestone and plains which is predominantly sandy. The climate is warm and maritime with all of the influences of the Atlantic.

Alentejo DOC and Alentejano IGP

Alentejo (Vinho do Alentejo) is huge as its flat plains cover almost 1/3 of the country. Alentejo has a continental climate with no influence from the Atlantic Ocean making it very hot in the summer and cold in the winter making irrigation is common. Much of this area is given over to growing grain. Much of this area is given over to growing grain  but it mostly known for its vast cork production.

However, in recent years it has become more known for its table wines. The entire region is entitled to use the Vinho Regional designation Alentejano VR, while some areas are also classified as Alentejo DOC. In contrast to the northern region which consists primarily of very small producers, Alentejo is dominated by large conglomerates. The typical red blend of Alentejo consists of Aragonés, Trincadeia and Castelão but Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouchet and Syrah are also used. White wines include Arinto, Antao Vaz and Roupeiro which provide intense aromatic honeyed aromas.

Terras Madeirenses and Madeira DOC

Terras Madeirenses is located on the islands of Madeira, both on the main island and on the Porto Santo Island. The region is classified as a Vinho Regional (VR), which corresponds to table wines with a geographical indication under European Union wine regulations, similar to a French vin de pays region. Terras Madeirenses is a designation for simpler, non-fortified wines from Madeira, while the more famous fortified Madeira wines use the designation Madeira DOC which will discussed further in my next review “Unit 5-Day 5: Port and Madeiera.”

Learning Objectives of Unit 5 – Day 4: Portugal

At the beginning of class lectures a list of learning objectives is provided to the students. By the end of the class, the students should have a certain degree of understanding from their own reading and the lectures and be able to provide the answers to a list of questions. The Learning Objectives for Unit 5 - Day 3 along with the answers are as follows.

By the end of class, students should be able to answer the following questions:

(1) Name the 4 quality levels of Portuguese wine

Answer: Vinho de Mesa (VM), Vinho Regional (VR). Indicaçâo de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR), Denominaçâo de Origem Controlada (DOC)

(2) Name the Portuguese term for sparkling wines

Answer: Espumante

(3) Name the most important grape(s) of Vinho Verde

Answer: Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso and Azal.

(4) Identify the IGP which Vinho Verde is located within

Answer: Minho

(5) Name the most important grape of the Douro

Answer: Touriga Nacional

(6) Name the Portuguese synonym for Tempranillo.

Answer: Tinto Roriz

(7) Discuss one of the iconic dry wine producers of the Douro

Answer: Barca Velha

(8) Explain why the vines in Colares DOC are ungrafted

Answer: The sandy soil is resistant to Phyloxera so the vines can remain on the native root stock.

(9) Name a fortified wine DOC other than Port or Madeira

Answer: Setubal DOC

(10) Describe the attributes of any wines tasted today

Answer: See below

The Wines

On the fourth day of Unit 5 we tasted the following wines from Portugal:

1. 2010 Quinta do Ameal Loureiro, Vinho Verde

This is a clear white wine, yellow in color with a watery trim, moderate intensity with medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean with youthful, moderate intense aromas of nectarines, under ripe mango, floral soap and baby powder. On the palate it has flavors of lemon-lime tart candies, apricots with an aspirin-like chalkiness and a hint of salty brine. It has is dry with medium+ acidity; it is medium bodied with medium alcohol and a medium+ length finish. This wine is made from the Loureiro grape, it sells for about $15 per bottle.

2. 2011 Filipa Pato Nossa Branco, Beiras

This is a clear white wine, star-bright, straw in color with a watery rim, and medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean with youthful, moderate intense aromas a hint of peach, a touch of lilac and just a waft of clover honey. On the palate it has flavors of canned fruit cocktail, minor green vegetal notes and a hint of lees. It has is dry with medium+ acidity; it is medium bodied with medium alcohol and an oily texture on the mid palate. This wine is made from the Biscal grape, it sells for about $25 per bottle.

3. 2012 Esporao Branco Reserva Tejo

This is a clear white wine, straw in color, star-bright with minor bubbles and medium viscosity. On the nose it has subtle youthful aromas of dried peach, almonds, autumn leaves with a hint of burnt popcorn and toasted marshmallow. On the palate it is somewhat Chardonnay-like with flavors of backed apples, caramelized pears, creamed corn, popcorn, bitter almond and a salty minerality. It has is dry with medium+ acidity; it is medium bodied with medium+ alcohol and a medium length finish. This wine is a blend of Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro, and Semillon. This wine sells for about $25 per bottle.

4. 2011 Niepoort Tiara Branco Douro

This is a clear white wine, straw in color, day-bright medium- concentration, with a watery rim and medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean with subtle aromas of oxidized apples, ginger, a hint of honey and white flowers. On the palate it has flavors of canned fruit cocktail and a hint of apricot. It has is dry with medium+ acidity; it is medium bodied with medium+ alcohol and a medium length finish. This wine is a blend of Codega, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Viosinho, and Cercial. It sells for about $25 per bottle.

5. 2004 Quinta das Bageiras Garrafeira Bairrada

This is a clear red wine, dark ruby at the core to garnet at the rim, medium concentration with medium+ viscosity and slight staining tears. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of dried black fruits, black pepper, green herbs, a hint of mint and subtle notes of paprika and dried tomatoes. On the palate it has flavors of dried plums, charred meat, dried tobacco, dried roses, and paprika. It is dry with medium+ tannins; it is medium bodied with medium+ alcohol and a medium+ length finish. For a wine that is 10 years old, it is ageing extremely well. This wine is made from predominantly Baga and Touriga Nacional.  This wine sells for about $54 per bottle.

6. 2007 Quinta do Vesuvio, Douro

This is a clear red wine, dark ruby at the core to pink at the rim, medium concentration with medium+ viscosity and slight staining tears. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of super ripe stewed plums, raisins, cooked beets; it is somewhat earthy, with a hint of black pepper. On the palate it has flavors of strawberry jam, ripe cherries, burnt sugar / molasses, with a clay-like minerality. It is dry with some residual sugar, it is soft on entry and then the medium+ tannins kick in. It is medium bodied with medium+ alcohol and a medium+ length finish. For a wine that is 10 years old, it is ageing extremely well and it was my favorite in the line-up. This wine is a blend of 60% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional, and 10% Tinta Amarela. It sells for about $54 per bottle.

7. 2008 Niepoort Batuta Tinto Douro

This is a clear red wine, ruby at the core to garnet at the rim, hazy-bright with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of cooked raspberries, dried cherries, sandalwood with a hint of clove and black pepper. On the palate it has flavors of dried red fruits, a hint of herbs and black pepper. It is dry with some residual sugar, it has medium+ tannins, medium+ acidity, it is medium bodied with medium+ alcohol and a medium+ length finish. This wine is a blend of Tinta Amarela, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Rufete and Malvazia Preta and it sells for about $80 per bottle.

8. 2005 Bacalhoa Moscatel de Setubal

This is a clear golden-brown wine with a tint of burnt orange with HIGH viscosity. On the nose it is clean with pronounced aromas of burnt oranges, caramelized peaches, dates, lemon, clove oil and a hint of saffron. On the palate it has additional notes of macerated cherries, cinnamon and cloves. It has no tannin, it has high acidity, high alcohol, it is medium bodied with a very prolonged finish. This wine is made from the Moscatel de Setúbal grape and it sells for $15 to $25 per 750 ml bottle.