Tiny Portugal offers bounty of delicious and affordable wines
Portugal is a popular travel destination and, as a result, we are seeing an increase in demand for its wines. Don’t fear the difficult-to-pronounce regions and varietal names — just jump in and enjoy the flavours of Portugal. There’s a bounty of delicious and affordable wines to satisfy all wine lovers.
It’s a small country, only about one-third larger than New Brunswick, but one of the largest wine producers in the world. A country that is best known for fortified wine, called port, and only recently getting recognition for the quality of its dry wines. Many of the “quintas,” vineyards or small estates, have moved away from growing grapes for the larger port producers and back to their own labels.
Modernization and technology were slow to arrive in this tiny country. That isolation resulted in the preservation of distinctive native varietals and traditional regional wines. It was in the 1990s when an injection of European Union funds led to an increase in the quality of wines. Many wineries in the Douro didn’t even have electricity until the late 1970s.
Northern regions produce red wines with a robust elegance and whites that are mineral laden and complex.
The Douro produces the most wine in Portugal. It’s the home of Touriga Nacional, a top-quality red grape that lends a lush and velvety weight to wines, with concentrated flavours of plum, black fruits and warm spices, with lots of texture and structure.
Dao has higher-elevation vineyards and it’s the region to keep an eye on, with some tremendous quality and value wines coming to our market. The red wines are mostly blends of native varietals such as Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, producing concentrated, elegant and perfumed reds. The white wines can be bold and rich from oak aging.
Bairrada is known for its robust reds, especially from the grape Baga, producing wines that are savoury, full-bodied, concentrated, complex and tannic, with aging potential. Baga is a tremendous varietal when ripe, but not so awesome when picked too soon.
The warmer Setubal Peninsula is home to the elegant Castelao grape that loves the sandy soil of this region, producing fruity, complex wines that are reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon when aged.
Alentejo is the second largest wine producer with hot summers — meaning ripe grapes. This creates wines that are rich, full-bodied, easy drinking and often inexpensive, using grapes such as Trincadeira, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet.
If you haven’t discovered the distinctive wines from Portugal, you’re in for a treat! The country is becoming a key competitor in the global wine market for quality, value and unique regional character representation.
Here is a selection of affordable options that will knock your socks off for under-the-wire value wines.
QUINTA DA BOAVISTA RUFIA DAO VINHO BRANCO $28
I am a huge admirer of this winery. This is a blend of Arinto, Bical, Cerceal Branco, Encruzado and Malvasia, made by the nicest fellow, Joao Tavares de Pina. He is an advocate for organic/natural winemaking and farming and the truth is in the bottle, wow. He ages the wines for us and only releases them when they are ready to be enjoyed. This white wine is interesting and delicious, with earthy aromas and flavours mixed in with the bright acidity of crisp apples and almost-ripe pears with a savoury undertone. Pair with a wide variety of fare, from oysters to tacos. On the list at Bodega on 124 Street (as well as the red wines from 2003, 2004 and 2006 that are outstanding).
A HENRIQUES BAIRADA RED $20
A modern wine made from Touriga Nacional, Baga and Merlot from Bairrada that’s intensely aromatic with blueberries, plums and herbs on a smooth, complex and textured palate. By the glass at CharBar in Calgary and at the Northern Bear Golf Club in Edmonton.
TIAGO CABACO TORRE DE ESTREMOZ COLLECTION TINTO $20
This wine is produced in Alentejo, the largest region in the city of Estremoz. Tiego Cabaco is the winemaker, who comes from a family of restaurateurs and worked in the industry himself — a young winemaker with a cult following. A blend of Trincadeira, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Syrah, this easy-to-enjoy wine has loads of ripe black fruits, licorice, cocoa and toasty notes on a smooth and textured palate.
CASA ERMELINDA VINHA DO ROSARIO TINTO $15
Produced in the Setubal Peninsula region by the Freitas ladies. Over 100 years owned by women and wines made by women. Ermelinda took over the company after the early death of her husband with her only child, her daughter Leonor. This wine is consistently the top-seller for value and quality every time we pour it at events. It’s a blend of Castelao, Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Nacional and Syrah. A smooth, full-bodied wine with ripe red and black berries, vanilla and spice on a complex structured palate. Pair with all meat dishes, cheese and sausages.
Wine selections are available at select Alberta shops. Log onto liquorconnect.com to check availability and give them a call to verify.