Where to begin with Portuguese wines

Wine drinkers are usually a picky bunch and have a list of go-to bottles they never betray. But while people’s loyalty to their favourite tipples can be strong, some newer Portuguese wines have enjoyed a surge in popularity.

The “inexpensive yet un-boring” nature of these wines have turned them into “fixtures on the dinner table”, said Victoria Moore in The Telegraph. Portugal’s “portfolio of characterful indigenous grapes” and pocket-friendly prices helps explain how the country “quietly overtook” Chile on the Wine Society’s sales leader board last year.

Gone are Portugal’s days of “lagging” behind its EU neighbours, said John Mariani in Forbes. Following Spain’s “progress and global recognition”, the Portuguese wine industry is having a deserved moment in the spotlight. From “Tinta Roriz and Castelăo red grapes to the Alvarinho and Loueiro white”, the “wide variety of styles” can make it “confusing” for consumers.

There are over 250 types of grapes native to Portugal, “but I’d wager that many of us wouldn’t be able to name many more than two of these indigenous varieties”, said Hannah Crosbie in The Guardian. The “old vines of different varieties are often planted side by side” which avoids the “painstaking process of separating harvests”. This is why it’s “the norm” in Portugal to make “blends” instead of “single varietal wines” which only feature one type of grape. With so much choice, here are three of the best bottles to try.

Symington Family Estates, Pequeno Dilema, Douro, Portugal 2022

This “complex yet subtly approachable” white wine has an “assertive freshness”, said Decanter. Viosinho, Arinto, Códega do Larinho and a “sprinkle” of Alvarinho come together to create a wine with “equal amounts of classicism and energy”. Expect hints of white pepper, aniseed and chopped almonds with a “strong mineral backbone”. The “vividness and depth” comes from the 10-month aging process in French and Hungarian oak barrels.

Bando de Corvos Murder of Crows Tinto 2023, Lisboa, Portugal

“Fruity with a touch of earth”, this high quality blend is made with castelão, trincadeira and touriga nacional grapes, said Moore in The Telegraph. Produced “expressly” for the Wine Society, it’s a “very good value” red wine.

Taste the Difference Douro White 2024, Portugal

For lovers of white wine, this “brand new vintage” is an “excellent” choice, said Moore in The Telegraph. “Bright and fresh”, the wine is almost “sherbetty” with “tangy notes of lemon rind” as well as hints of white peach and quince. “Shiveringly clean and crisp”, it’s a deliciously refreshing tipple.