Tolchards Wine Brochure 2023 - Magazine - Page 190
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PORTUGAL
E X PA N S I V E C O A S T S B L E S S E D B Y T H E AT L A N T I C
Usually when you think of the wines of Portugal,
you’d probably think of Port, and with good reason.
Fortified wines from Oporto and Madeira have been Portugal’s
main exports for hundreds of years. A valuable trading relationship
was forged with Britain because the wines kept much longer
and did not go bad during the arduous journey across
the Channel. In recent years more emphasis has been placed
on developing their red and white wines.
The terraced steps of the Douro Valley are a UNESCO world
heritage site and is still the heart of Port but winemakers are
increasingly producing rich, full-bodied, fruit-filled red wines from
varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. Minha in the
north produces fresh, spritzy Vinho Verde with zingy acidity and
just a hint of sweetness and as you travel south and the climate
warms you’ll find riper flavours in the white wines of Alentejo
and great value fruit-driven reds in Lisboa and Dão.
