To Understand Portuguese Wine, Learn These 8 Grapes

If you’ve walked into a wine store and been intrigued by the tiny-yet-growing Portuguese wine section, you’re not alone. 

Portugal is the new “it” European destination—it’s the second most popular destination for travel on the continent after Italy—as visitors are drawn to the country’s culture, cuisine and affordability. While vacationers flock to Portugal for its sun and seafood, they are also beginning to explore the country’s wine and for good reason.  

Despite its diminutive size, about the same area as Maine, Portugal is the 10^th largest wine-producing country on the planet, releasing outstanding bottles at prices that are a fraction of what you would pay for similar quality from other better-known countries. 

This is a feature, not a flaw.  

José Luis Oliveira Da Silva, Co-CEO of Casa Santos Lima notes a familiar sentiment among Portuguese producers. “We try to overdeliver,” Da Silva says. “A good bottle at a good price. We grow every year by trying to provide better quality.”

Like Bordeaux, over 90% of Portuguese wines are composed of blends rather than a single varietal, which gives producers greater flexibility to create well-balanced wines. 

However, despite the historical blending tradition, you can increasingly find single-varietal-bottled wines such as Alvarinho, Touriga Nacional, Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet as producers highlight varietals that shine on their own.

Portugal has over 250 indigenous grape varietals—among the highest of all countries in the world—and each imparts distinct characteristics to its wine. But start with the eight main grape varietals below to get to know how the region shows up in the glass.

White

Alvarinho 

Though spelled slightly differently, it’s the same exact grape as Albariño, as it’s referred to in neighboring Spain. One of the first grape varietals in Portugal to be bottled as a single varietal, Alvarinho is grown in the north in Vinho Verde where it is typically part of a blend. Fans of Sauvignon Blanc will appreciate Alvarinho, which produces crisp, floral, mineral-driven wines that are fragrant with notes of citrus, passionfruit, peach, lychee and other tropical fruits.

Arinto 

If you enjoy Riesling, you’ll appreciate Arinto, also referred to as Pedernã. Arinto produces fruity, semi-aromatic wines with flavors of citrus, green apple, chalk and lime. It’s often added to blends to improve acidity and is also used in sparkling wines. As the main grape in the wines of Bucelas, the region north of Lisbon, Arinto is also grown with success in Tejo and Alentejo and shines as an aperitif and when paired with seafood and lighter dishes. 

Fernão Pires 

Also referred to as Maria Gomes, this is Portugal’s most widely-grown white grape varietal. It is cultivated throughout the country and is especially important in the regions of Tejo, Bairrada and Lisboa. Fernão Pires produces soft, dry, Muscat-reminiscent wines that are light, fragrant and fruity. Often used as a base in sparkling wines, it gives flavors of orange zest, roses, lemon, lime and nuts.