If you like these international varieties, you might like these Portuguese wines.
Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro or Castelão. Have you ever heard of them? What about Encruzado, Bical or Antão Vaz? These are the names of some Portuguese grape varieties, which are just a fraction of the total number of Portuguese wine grapes.
Portugal has 343 grape varieties for wine production, and out of this, 250 are native. Such great diversity confirms Portugal as a country with a deep-rooted tradition of winemaking.
So, you are not alone if you feel overwhelmed when trying to select what to drink at a wine store or restaurant. But, we are here to help! If you already know which international varieties you like, our "If you like" series will offer native Portuguese varieties that offer similar characteristics.
If you like Pinot Noir from Burgundy, you enjoy fragrant wines, elegant and sensual, with notes of cherries, cranberries, tobacco leaves, forest floor and sweet spices, with grace and amplitude. The best wines might need many years of cellaring.
Then you will like Dão wines, full-bodied with enormous elegance and depth, noble tannins, with intense aromas and ideal to long aging. Dāo (red) wines are usually made from grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Pinheira.
Manuel Moreira recommends:
If you are interested in learning more about the world's grape varieties, this book by Jancis Robinson is among the best resources available.
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