Garrafeira is a Portuguese term linked to the word "bottle".
In Portugal "Garrafeira" has two essential meanings: as a statement of quality of a wine (more on this below) and as the place where wine bottles are stored, preserved, and aged. Nowadays, wine stores, the wine section at stores and supermarkets, and also private cellars at home are commonly known as "Garrafeiras."
In regards to quality, when the term "Garrafeira" appears on a label, it refers to the most prestigious, the best wine, of a specific winery.
Bairrada and Dão are the main Portuguese regions where a considerable number of wine producers are still faithful to this principle.
The law defines Garrafeira as "an appellation reserved for wine from a single harvest year that presents organoleptic characteristics of outstanding quality and has, in the case of red wine, aged for a minimum of 30 months, of which at least 12 months occur in a glass bottle. White and rosé wines must be aged for a minimum of 12 months, of which at least 6 months occur in a glass bottle."
All Garrafeira wines must originate from harvests or batches of special quality, possess prodigious structure and remarkable longevity.
As mentioned above, the second meaning of "Garrafeira" could also be a wine store, the wine section at a store, or a private collection.
Get to know some outstanding "Garrafeira" wines, recommended by the sommelier Manuel Moreira:
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