Even though Portugal does not command headlines in the international wine world, many Hongkongers have had a head start in tasting wines from the southern European country. There is a ready stash of Portuguese wines in Macau and some of us remember Mateus Ros? from its heyday in the 1970s. The rest of the country has been slow to promote its wines, and the diversity of indigenous grape varieties make it still relatively unknown to most wine consumers.
Minho
This northern region is known for its white wines (including vinho verde) usually made from the alvarinho grape, with refreshing acidity, lower alcohol and often with a little spritz.
Douro Valley
This is one of the most starkly beautiful vineyard landscapes, and is protected by the UN cultural agency Unesco. It is home to Portugal's most famous wine, port. Styles include white, pink, ruby, tawny and vintage port made from a specific year.
Port is a fortified wine made from a blend of different red varieties. Fermentation is arrested, leaving residual sugar. The wine is fortified with a neutral spirit to about 20 per cent. The area is becoming increasingly important for its dry red wine made from the port grape variety touriga nacional. These wines are inky in colour, very concentrated with firm tannins and with long ageing potential.
Madeira