Portugal is such a fascinating region, stuffed with interesting, deep-coloured reds and exhilarating, well-crafted whites. We champion Douro Valley reds, certainly a 'must taste' for claret enthusiasts, as these wines are full of silky, dark fruit with great ageing potential. The southern Alentejo region has been performing superbly, with the luscious styles garnering plenty of followers. They are such good value in the scheme of things! Crisp white Vinho Verde is making a well-deserved come back and you should also try the wines from Tejo, near Lisbon, and from Dão further north.
Red
Mid & South Portugal
From Dão to the Alentejo, this section of Portugal is home to many interesting, well-priced wines. Winemaking technology here has improved in leaps and bounds, and winemakers like J P Ramos have taken to blending high-quality indigenous varieties like Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Baga with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with excellent results.
Douro
The Douro Valley is possibly the most exciting, emerging, quality region in the world of wine at the moment. The area is capable of producing great, age-worthy red wines on a par with Bordeaux, Barolo and Australian reds of high repute. Wines made for us at the Duorum Project in Douro Superior are dynamic and simply delicious. Explore the wines of the Symington Group; all the class of fine Port grapes is – with judicious handling and skilled winemaking – transferred into fabulous bottles of red wine. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz (Tempanillo) are the leading grapes for Dirk Niepoort who nowadays concentrates more on his reds than his Ports. His resulting wines are a fascinating mix of styles from around the world.
Rosé
The Portuguese climate makes for very appealing rosé wines which are easy foils for the straightforward, simple lunches enjoyed all over Portugal, often on the verandah in the heat of the afternoon.
Dry White
Fresh, spritzy, dry Vinho Verde is making a comeback. Although this is a style of wine, made red or white but referring to the tart, slightly ‘green’ style, it is white wines that you are more likely to encounter. Steely, ‘sour-plum’ flavoured white grapes like Avesso and Loureiro are a joy to drink and partner perfectly with the rustic, often fish-based cuisine of this coastal region. The Douro whites from Churchill’s and Duorum are from the even less familiar varieties such as Gouveio, Roupeiro, Rabigato and Viosinho, but the results are fresh and full of character. The whites of Mid & South Portugal show a delicious, full-flavoured style with Encruzado and Arinto in particular coming through as the main components of some world-beating white wines.
