Portuguese wines for Autumn
With increasing numbers of Irish people visiting Portugal every year, it is no wonder top quality, reasonably priced Portuguese wines have become popular on the shelves in wine stores around Ireland.

There are over 300 grape varieties in Portugal. Among them is Arinto, a popular white grape grown throughout southern Portugal, north of the Algarve. This grape gives good, crisp acidity and freshness on the palate with characteristics of lemons and peaches.

The most common red grape varieties are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca & Tinta Roriz. The warmer climate in Portugal lends itself to grapes that yield full-bodied red wines which are ideal for enjoying in the Autumn season.

Touriga Nacional is found in some great fortified Port wines of the Douro, but is also blended with other grapes to make full-flavoured wines. Touriga Franca, the fifth most planted grape in Portugal, also used in the making of Port, is lighter in style with perfurmed aromas. Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo in Spain) is likened to a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and is used as a single grape variety, or again, blended with other grapes for rounder flavours.

You’ll find more and more great Portuguese wines in Ireland’s many independent wine stores, so don’t be afraid to try something different.

A couple of my recommendations are:
Marquís de Borba White, 2007, Alentejo, Portugal, 12.5% abv, €13.99
A blend of Arinto, Rabo de Ovelha, Roupeiro grapes; this wine has aromas of honeydew melon with slight minerality. The palate is dry, with crisp acidity and a lemon and key lime finish. A good, structured wine suitable with chicken, salads and white seafood.

Quinta do Cardo Red, 2005, Beira Interior, Portugal, 13% abv, €11.99
This wine is from Portugal’s highest vineyard, at an altitude of 700m. A blend of Touriga Nacional & Tinta Roriz, the wine is aged for nine months in French oak, resulting in a full-bodied wine with soft tannins and ripe fruit flavours of blackcurrants and blackberry. This wine is best served with pasta dishes & light red meats.
Available at good independent wine stores, including The Wine Boutique, Ringsend.

This October, The Wine Boutique in Ringsend will be introducing a new exclusive range of Portuguese wines from Douro Family Estates.

Above: Therese O’Toole.