There’s a wide range of alcoholic beverages to choose from in the Algarve. There are the common European drinks and also some local specialties. You can read about some of the local brews inPart 1.
Portugal is the seventh largest wine producer in the world. Its variety of wines includes the famous Port and Madeira. Wine was introduced into Portugal by the Greeks, the Romans, the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians. The Portuguese have been exporting their wine to Rome since the days of the Roman Empire. From north to south, Portugal has a number of wine-making regions. Each region has its own wine commission supervising the quality of the produce.
Mountain grapes and ‘green’ wine
Dão wine is produced in a mountainous area in the north where the mountains protect the grapes. Grão Vasco and the Aliança wines are produced here.
The Minho region in northwest Portugal is famous for its Vinho Verde, which literally translates to ‘green wine’. The meaning of green here is young, rather than green in colour. Vinho Verde can be red or white and is produced from grapes that don’t achieve a high sugar level. The wine’s short fermentation period gives it a lower alcohol content than most other wines. This light and naturally gassy beverage is best served chilled and is an ideal lunchtime drink.
World Heritage Douro Valley
A little further south, towards Lisbon, The Douro Valley (Douro Vinhateiro) and the Pico Island (Ilha do Pico) are protected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) as World Heritage. About half the wine produced in the Douro region is now sold as table wine although, historically, the Duro Valley is best known for its Port wine.
Sparkling and sweet
Just north of Lisbon, Bairrada wine is produced from the Baga grape, which dominates this region. Wines produced here include red, white and table wine, but the most well-known are the sparkling wines Conde de Cantanhede and Marquês de Marialva. The Serra da Arrábida to the south of Lisbon is best known for its sweet fortified Muscat wine, Moscatel de Setúbal. The region also produces the Moscatel Roxo, a wine that is only sold after twenty years aging in a cellar.
The most popular in Portugal
Probably the preferred wine of consumers in Portugal comes from the Alentejo region in the south, the closest wine-making region to the Algarve. Twelve percent of the nation's wine comes from this region and it also exports its produce to many countries including China.
Port and Madeira
Produced in the Douro Valley, the production of Port is subject to very strict regulations. Over 40 varieties of grapes are used for making Port and it is classified according to the grape crops, sugar content, the amount of alcohol added, the age and the wood of the barrels used in the aging process.
The two classes of Port are red and wood-aged. The red Ports develop after bottling and are deeper in colour, while the wood-aged Ports are ready to drink as soon as they are bottled. White Port is made from white grapes. It is classed separately and has varying levels of sweetness.
Madeira is a fortified Portuguese wine from the Madeira Islands. The different types of Madeira range from dry wines which are good drunk on their own as an aperitif, to sweet dessert wines. Madeira can be sold as a vintage wine with a specific age when it is aged in casks for more than fifteen years, or as a blended wine with a minimum age of three or ten years.
Do you prefer red or white port? What’s your favourite Portuguese wine?
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.
What to drink in the Algarve: Part 2
by Almonds & Oranges
Part 2 – The North to South of Portuguese wines
There’s a wide range of alcoholic beverages to choose from in the Algarve. There are the common European drinks and also some local specialties. You can read about some of the local brews in Part 1.
Portugal is the seventh largest wine producer in the world. Its variety of wines includes the famous Port and Madeira. Wine was introduced into Portugal by the Greeks, the Romans, the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians. The Portuguese have been exporting their wine to Rome since the days of the Roman Empire. From north to south, Portugal has a number of wine-making regions. Each region has its own wine commission supervising the quality of the produce.
Mountain grapes and ‘green’ wine
Dão wine is produced in a mountainous area in the north where the mountains protect the grapes. Grão Vasco and the Aliança wines are produced here.
The Minho region in northwest Portugal is famous for its Vinho Verde, which literally translates to ‘green wine’. The meaning of green here is young, rather than green in colour. Vinho Verde can be red or white and is produced from grapes that don’t achieve a high sugar level. The wine’s short fermentation period gives it a lower alcohol content than most other wines. This light and naturally gassy beverage is best served chilled and is an ideal lunchtime drink.
World Heritage Douro Valley
A little further south, towards Lisbon, The Douro Valley (Douro Vinhateiro) and the Pico Island (Ilha do Pico) are protected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) as World Heritage. About half the wine produced in the Douro region is now sold as table wine although, historically, the Duro Valley is best known for its Port wine.
Sparkling and sweet
Just north of Lisbon, Bairrada wine is produced from the Baga grape, which dominates this region. Wines produced here include red, white and table wine, but the most well-known are the sparkling wines Conde de Cantanhede and Marquês de Marialva. The Serra da Arrábida to the south of Lisbon is best known for its sweet fortified Muscat wine, Moscatel de Setúbal. The region also produces the Moscatel Roxo, a wine that is only sold after twenty years aging in a cellar.
The most popular in Portugal
Probably the preferred wine of consumers in Portugal comes from the Alentejo region in the south, the closest wine-making region to the Algarve. Twelve percent of the nation's wine comes from this region and it also exports its produce to many countries including China.
Port and Madeira
Produced in the Douro Valley, the production of Port is subject to very strict regulations. Over 40 varieties of grapes are used for making Port and it is classified according to the grape crops, sugar content, the amount of alcohol added, the age and the wood of the barrels used in the aging process.
The two classes of Port are red and wood-aged. The red Ports develop after bottling and are deeper in colour, while the wood-aged Ports are ready to drink as soon as they are bottled. White Port is made from white grapes. It is classed separately and has varying levels of sweetness.
Madeira is a fortified Portuguese wine from the Madeira Islands. The different types of Madeira range from dry wines which are good drunk on their own as an aperitif, to sweet dessert wines. Madeira can be sold as a vintage wine with a specific age when it is aged in casks for more than fifteen years, or as a blended wine with a minimum age of three or ten years.
Do you prefer red or white port? What’s your favourite Portuguese wine?
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.