Portugese Red Wines

Portugal's isolation from the world for much of the 20th century, left it as a viticultural 'island' with a treasure trove of indigenous varieties unheard of outside the country. Viticultural studies, completed since Portugal joined the EU in 1986, identify Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Baga as being the most promising and distinctive of the Portuguese red varieties.

The main story in Portuguese reds is, of course, the re-imagination of the Douro Valley. Still famous for it Port wines, with top Ports as wonderful as ever, the region is now increasingly home to remarkably subtle, complex and delicious dry reds, led by the 5 producers collectively known as ‘The Douro Boys’ – Quinta do Vale Doña Maria, led by man-mountain Cristiano van Zeller, practical and spiritual leader of the group; Niepoort, run by boy-genius Dirk Niepoort; Quinta do Vale Meão, one of the most important historical properties in the Douro; Quinta do Vallado and Quinta do Crasto.