The Winery Encosta da Marinha of Vinho de Portugal

Discovering the wine region of Vinho de Portugal

Portugal has undergone something of a wine revolution over the past two decades, modernizing its winemaking technologies, styles and attitudes. This archetypal Old World country has Long been famous for its fortified wines (Port and Madeira) and its light, tangy Vinho Verde. But it is now attracting much attention for its New wave of Rich, ripe table wines, especially the reds of the Douro Valley. Portugal's place in the wine world is arguably more about its cork production than its wine, but that largely depends on which period of history you choose.

In the 18th century, when England's supply of French wine was threatened by deteriorating international relations, the Portuguese Vineyard proved more than capable of Filling the void. It was only in the 20th century, when international demand for Portuguese wines dwindled to almost nothing, that Portugal took the lead in world cork production. In the 21st century, the Portuguese cork industry is struggling (due to the increasing popularity of plastic stoppers and metal screw caps), but the country's wines are on the rise again, led by the Dry reds of the Douro and Dao. Portugal's many grape varieties and their countless regional synonyms are the bane of ampelographers.

Some are endemic to Portugal (e. g. Touriga Nacional), while others are shared with neighboring Spain (e. g.