An article from 2003

[Roy Hersh]

My friend Brian Dorsk wrote this on Oct. 23rd 2003, a few months after he joined a small group of US wine journalists that were brought to Portugal on a special tour. I was heading there with my family anyway, so the timing was perfect. Here is his article:


Remember your first wine? It was probably pink, cheap, and had a great
bottle for holding candles. It was probably Mateus or Lancers. You felt very
sophisticated. You probably did not even realize or care that you were
drinking Portuguese wine. Portugal’s two most famous wines, Madeira and Port, were
not even on your screen. They were too expensive and not then popular in the
US.

But much has happened since those days of the 60s and 70s. Portugal lay
undeveloped during the oppressive Salazar regime, which ended in 1974. You
see, wine does have its politics. Consider other wine producing countries
(Spain under Franco, South Africa under apartheid, perhaps, France today),
pariahs, because of their governments, which limited acceptance of their wines on the
world market. Since then, Portugal began to enter the 20th century (though
not yet the 21st), and, after joining the European Union in 1986, loans and
investment followed, and the country, and its wine industry, began to modernize
with new stainless steel tanks and new oak barrels for making table wines. Gone
are the days of anonymously labeled wines with thinly shaved cork labels with
stenciled names.

Portugal is a small country, about the size of the state of Indiana. It
is 300 miles long, north to south and slightly over 100 miles east to west.
It has a population of about 10.5 million people, yet the number of those for
whom Portuguese is their primary language is over 200 million, in view of
former Portuguese colonies in Africa, South America, and Asia. In about 700 BC,
the Celts arrived in the north; Phoenicians and Greeks followed in the south.
Grapevines arrived with the Phoenicians around 600 BC. Many of the grape
varieties they brought have survived to the present and are not grown elsewhere in
Europe. The Romans arrived in 219 BC and established a trading post at the
mouth of the Douro River, naming the settlements on the opposite sides of the
river Portus and Cale (present day Oporto and Vila Nova de Gaia) later combined
to Portucale, ultimately giving the country its name.

Portugal is the world’s eighth largest wine producer, 172 million
gallons in 2002. Bounded on the north by the Spanish province of Galicia, on
the east by the mountains sharing the Spanish frontier, and on the west and
South by the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is a romantic place with its old churches,
charming cities and villages, inviting beaches, and sincere hospitality of its
people. On a recent visit, one gentleman remarked to me that "wherever you
find Portuguese, you will find flowers."

All of Portugal lies south of the French vineyards and its climate is
largely influenced by the sun’s warmth, especially, the Mediterranean climate of
the south coast, the Algarve, with its less mountainous terrain and the warm
breezes from North Africa. Northern and central regions are tempered by the
cooler Atlantic breezes and by altitude of various growing regions.

Portuguese wines are quite varied, depending on the grape varietals,
region, and winemaking techniques, and are classified in the following order of
ratings (translated):
Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC) .
This category is reserved for Portugal’s top wine regions. The most
famous of these
are Porto, Moscatel de Setubal, Dao, Madeira, Vinho Verde, Bairrada, and
Douro.
More recent are Portalegre, Borba, Reguengos, Redondo, and Vidigueria in
the
southern province of Alentejo.
Indication of Regulated Provenance
Quality Wines Produced in Determined Regions
Quality Sparkling Wines Produced in Determined Regions
Quality Fortified Wines Produced in Determined Regions
Regional Wines
Table Wines

PORTO was the first demarcated (DOC) wine region in the world,
recognized in 1756 by the Marques de Pombal, then Prime Minister of the government.
The major grape varietals for both red Port and DOURO (unfortified wines from
same area) are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Francesa,
Tinta Cao, and Tinta da Barca. For the white Ports and Douro wines, Malvasia
Fina, Rabigato, Verdelho, Viosinho, and Gouveio are the most prominent
varietals. The white wines are produced in the western area of the Douro where it is
less hot in summer, less mountainous, and with somewhat different soils.
Even sparkling wines are produced here, with a recent joint venture between
Portuguese and California producers

Port wines were originally fermented dry, but the British found that by
fortifying them with brandy to 18 - 20% alcohol prior to the end of
fermentation (the process of converting sugar into alcohol), that residual sugar
rendered the wine sweet. The British thereby "created" Port wine which did not
deteriorate with shipping. Less than half of the wine produced here is made into
Port, the quality of which is, today, carefully regulated by the Instituto do
Vinho do Porto. The remainder, utilizing the same grape varietals from the same
vineyards, produces dry, table wine. Port, so stylish to the British in
earlier centuries has seen a declining demand, hence the conversion to more dry
wine,

Port exists in several categories as white Port, wine made from white
grapes, and only a few years old, although one producer, Churchill produces a
fine 12 year old white Port; ruby, 3 years in wood; tawny, 5 -6 years in wood;
age designated tawny, wine with specific years of average age (it is a blend)
age of 10, 20, 30, or 40 years, as it progressively loses color, becoming
"tawny" (amber) in color from its original dark reddish-blue-purple, and acquiring
the aroma and taste of walnuts, and, occasionally, of hazelnuts; Colheita,
tawny of a specific single vintage (not a blend); late bottled vintage, 4 - 6
years in wood; and vintage Port, wine that has been in wood for less than 3
years and ages in bottle.

In the Douro/Porto region, the vines are grown on ancient, steep,
hand-hewn stone terraces. The terraces are often so narrow that they can support
only one or two short rows of vines. Some are so high and the vineyards so
steep, that vineyard workers have fallen to their deaths. Temperatures are hot in
summer and those in the trade suggest that a visit to the Douro in summer is
equivalent to being baked alive. The supports for the vines are usually 6-8
foot high slate slabs, representing, again, immense human labor to quarry, cut,
move, and place in the ground.

VINHO VERDE first exported wine to England in 1295 for the crowning of
an English bishop. Subsequently, English merchant stations were established
along the north coast for trading English woolen goods for Portuguese wine and
grain. This trade became the basis of an historic relationship, based on
important treaties between England and Portugal, and enhanced Portuguese wine
exports.

The name of the wines produced here translates to "green wine." No
clear explanation has ever been attained, however, it is thought that the term
refers to the youth and freshness of the wines when consumed, rather than color.
In fact a significant proportion of the production is red wine, generally
served cold, which is dark, acidic, and tannic and require several years aging to
tame. The white wines are light, fresh, acidic, often slightly effervescent,
and generally low in alcohol, usually about 9 - 10%, and consumed young..
Alvarinho, is most prestigious of the grape varietals grown here producing wines
with intense, fruity aromas suggestive of Riesling. Others include Loureiro,
Trajadura, and Pederna.

Viticulture here is unique in that the vines have historically been
trained to grow up the trunks and branches of trees, "Enforcado," ("Hanged
vines"). "Ramadas" or "Latadas" are vines supported by 10-foot granite posts around
fields of grain, other crops, even over roadways.

The DAO region in north central Portugal, well away from the Atlantic,
produces the largest part of Portugal’s total volume. The grape varietals here
are not unlike the Douro, but with the additional varietals Alfrocheiro
Preto, Jaen, and Tinta Pinhera for the rich, velvety, red wines. For the white
wines, grown in the western area, as in the Douro, the prominent varietals
include Encruzado, Assario (the same as the Malvasia Fina in Douro), Bical, and
Cerceal. The wines often possess tropical to floral aromas and offer crisp
acidity and elegance.

BAIRRADA derives its name from "barro" or clay, which makes up much of
the soil of the region along with sand or limestone. This region is closer to
the Atlantic Ocean and west of Dao. The red wines here are deeply colored
and tannic, but elegant, and made, historically, with the Baga grape, although
two other varietals, Castelao and Preto Mortagua have been planted to soften
the wine.

The white wines of the region are made predominately from the Maria
Gomes grape. Although these wines are aromatic and full-bodied, they lack acid,
so must be harvested early. The more floral Bical and the more acidic Cerceal
and Arinto are blended into many of the white wines.

60% of Portugal’s sparkling wines are produced in this area, as white,
rose’, and even red, the latter developed to match roast suckling pig, Leitao
Assado, a specialty of the area. The government founded a viticultural school
in Bairrada in 1887 to improve cultivation and learn how to prevent or treat
vine diseases, and in the 1890s introduced methode champenoise to produce the
region’s well-known sparkling wines.

Our own Thomas Jefferson was quite fond of the wines of BUCELAS as were
George III, George V, and the Duke of Wellington of England. The wines are
primarily white and made from the Arinto grape, unique to Portugal. The wine
may be the same as Charneco, cited by Shakespeare. Early in the 19th century,
the wines were fortified and sweet. One oenologist, Joao Lapa, in 1867
reported that an 1851 was so fine, that he felt it should be the Chateau d’Yquem
of Portugal.

The unusual red wines of COLARES are grown in sandy soil over clay about
40 miles north of Lisbon. Because the sand protects the vines from
phylloxera, which ravaged the vineyards of Europe in the late 19th century, this is the
only European region still planted on its own rootstock. The wine is made
from the Ramisco, also unique to Portugal. The prior fame of these wines some 50
years ago has languished as quality has fallen until recently, when
replanting and modernization are attempting to restore the wines of Colares to their
earlier reputation.

CARCAVELOS was a sweet, amber-colored, fortified dessert wine grown in
the suburbs of Lisbon. This wine created a sensation at the first Christie’s
wine auction in 1769. The last producer closed some years ago, but several
growers are restoring vineyards and, hence, production, lest such a revered wine
cease to exist.

Moscatel de Setubal is produced on the Setubal peninsula some 20 miles
south of Lisbon. According to legend, the area was settled by one of Noah’s
sons, Tubal, hence its name. The Phoenicians brought in the Muscat of
Alexandria grape over 2000 years ago. This is a sweet, fortified dessert wine, the
grape skins being left with the wine for several months after fermentation,
providing the character of oranges, flowers, and almonds.

MADEIRA is a sub-tropical island province of Portugal in the Atlantic
and its sweet fortified wines. Madeira and its much smaller volcanic neighbors,
Porto-Santo and the Desertas, were known to the early Phoenicians, the
Genovese, and Portuguese sailors/seafarers, as the Enchnted Isles, but none were so
bold to penetrate the island’s thick forest until Captain Joao Goncalves,
known as Zarco, sent by Prince Henry the Navigator, claimed it for Portugal in
1419. Zarco was unable to penetrate this "Isle of Trees," so he set fire to the
forest, which burned for seven years, which, with centuries of compost,
enhanced the island’s fine volcanic soil and created a veritable garden in the
middle of the Atlantic. Settlers came from Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and
Italy and planted sugar cane, Malvasia grapes, and food crops.

As with Port, Madeira was originally an unfortified dry wine, but
traveled poorly until brandy from excess grapes was added to fortify the wine
and allow shipping without spoilage.

Prior to and during the American Revolution, heavy duties were imposed
on any European products shipped to America, it being mandated that all
shipments had to be via British ships. The finding that Madeira was really African,
being just 360 miles west of Morocco, but 530 miles southwest of Lisbon, led
to shipping Madeira via ships of any flag to the colonies. Thus, the
Americans could thumb their noses at the tyrannical British king, feeling quite
patriotic by drinking Madeira, which became quite popular until blights in the
vineyards in 1852 and 1875, markedly decreasing production. Some vines survived
and production began again, but as demand had fallen, at a much lower volume.
It was found that the wines benefited from being heated, as evidenced by their
improvement after shipping to the East Indies. Hence, the estufa, a large
storage place for the wines to be heated to 104 to 114 degrees to enhance
maturation and oxidation, replicating the effect of a voyage around the world. The
wines are virtually indestructible, having endured high temperatures and
oxidation, they often smell not just of dried fruit, but also of molasses.

The major types of Madeira are named by their grape varietals:
Sercial, best of the dry Madeiras, pale yellow, generally served slightly
chlled.
Verdelho, amber-yellow color, sweeter, leaving a dry, clean taste in the
mouth and historically served with soups.
Bual or Boal, amber-gold color, fuller and sweeter that the two above and
with darker color, light amber, a dessert wine.
Malmsey, amber-brown, from the Malvasia grape, the heaviest, richest,
sweetest, and best after dinner, or, as used in former times in both the US and
England, with cigars, when the gentlemen "retire" from the ladies to the billiard
room.
There are also Rainwater, a pale, light blend common to American use, most
often dry,
but may be moderately sweet, and Dated Soleras, the date specifying when the
solera was started, periodically some is taken off for bottling, and topped
off with younger wines.

2003 has been a remarkable harvest in Portugal due to the heat wave that
hit Europe in mid-summer - harvest was several weeks early for most producers
and some of the grapes were somewhat shriveled with concentration of sugar
and flavors, likely leading to higher alcohol levels. This is the type of year
that will likely lead to declaration of a vintage by Port shippers, who
declare only three years out of ten, awaiting special conditions to produce special
wines that warrant the vintage designation.

Portuguese wines, generally, represent excellent quality and value Some
of the more interesting, if not exciting, table wines available here in Maine
include the representatives of a number of Portuguese wine producing regions,
including: white wines of Vinho Verde, such as Casal Garcia, Aveleda, and
Arca Nova; from Bucelas, Quinta de Romeira white Arinta; from Borba, red Marques
de Borba; Terras do Sado, dry white Muscat of Joao Pires; from Estramadura,
red Avelada; from Douro, Charamba, Altano, Calcos do Tanha, Sentus; from
Palmela, Tradicao red; from Dao, Casa de Santar. There is also the ubiquitous Mateus,
and there are also a few Madeiras and many Ports ranging from white Port to
ruby, tawny, age denominated tawnys, late bottled vintage, colheitas, and
vintage Ports from a number of producers, including Warre’s, Graham’s, Cockburn,
Churchill, Fonseca, Taylor’s, Barros, Delaforce, Ramos Pinto, Niepoort, and
Columbo Madieras. Try some of these wonderful wines soon.

[Todd Pettinger]

I thought this was a decent article, albeit a little difficult to follow with all the bouncing around the country and demarcated areas, types of wine, etc. But very good informations… a LOT of information… I learned an awful lot about Portugal and some of it's areas… I learned that Portugal produces sparkling wine … I learned more than I previously knew about Madeira.

Thanks for sharing Roy - very informative.

Todd

[Luc Gauthier]

A different slant on the Port world . . .

[Sarah S.]

Hello

Portuguese vinho verde is lovely and reasonably priced over here. The range of Portuguese wine really is astonishing and I think you do have to come here to see it all as I don't think they export all that much. It is definitely worth trying some of the different varieties.

Thanks
Sarah

[Roy Hersh]

Ok Sarah, you have convinced me ... I'll be there in October!

I love Vinho Verde and drink a good amount of it year round. My weakness in the Portuguese wine scene is the fine wine from the Alentejo and Dao -- as I really concentrate the majority of my attention to Port, Madeira, Douro wine, Vinho Verde and Setubal.