Portugal owes the variety of wines produced on its territory to the ancient Phoenicians. It was they who brought the vine to these lands. This happened more than two and a half millennia ago, and since then, Portuguese wines have been made from grape varieties that are not found anywhere else in the world. The special climatic conditions allowed the local grapes to adapt and become resistant to temperature fluctuations and strong winds, so characteristic of the Atlantic coast.
History with geography
Portugal's wines have always accounted for a large share of the country's exports. In the 18th century, Portuguese winemaking truly flourished, and the lion's share of port wine was sent to England and other countries of the Old World. The famous Madeira was no less popular, bought with pleasure by many noble European houses.
Having become a member of the European Union, Portugal has increased the export volumes of supplied wine, and its wineries have come under close scrutiny and scrutiny.
The main wine-growing regions of the country are Alentejo, Vigno Verde, Madeira and Douro, and the cultivated grape varieties bear sonorous Portuguese names and are grown on almost 400 thousand hectares:
- Lilac Aragones, from which the wines of Portugal are made of ruby color with a characteristic aftertaste of raspberries and black currants. Its main cultivation region is Douro and the center of Alentejo.
- Bastardu used to blend the famous Madeira. France is considered its homeland, but on the Portuguese slopes, the fruits of Bastardou ripen especially fragrant.
- Toriga Nacional - grapes with tangible aromas of violets. It is full of raspberry and blackberry aftertaste and gives the wine a special astringency. Toriga Nacional berries make the best Portuguese port.
According to ancient recipes
Wine production in Portugal is still carried out according to many old traditions, one of which is to crush berries with your feet to extract juice and pulp. Winegrowers willingly use another old secret: they plant a young vine near the trees so that it can use someone else's trunk as a support. Wine connoisseurs and oenologists call Portugal "a living wine museum" because the traditions and customs of local winemaking seem so impressive.
About port and not only
Port is considered the most famous wine in Portugal. It is exported and drunk by themselves; not a single holiday or celebration is complete without a bottle of port wine. But the share of port in wine production in Portugal is no more than six percent, while young table wines account for a quarter of the total.
