Lisbon Whites | With modern winemaking methods combined with centuries-old traditions, Portugal’s white wines are winning admirers all over the world.
From the citrusy freshness of Arintos to the floral elegance of Encruzados, there is a Portuguese white wine for every palate and occasion. Close to Lisbon, the tradition of vineyard cultivation resists the expansion of urban areas. Bucelas and Colares are regions that stand out for their unique and historic wines.
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Lisbon Whites
The sun is still shining and high temperatures seem to be here to stay. The days are still longer and the nights become more tempting for good drink and nothing beats the feeling of tasting a refreshing glass of white wine.
With modern winemaking methods combined with centuries-old traditions, Portugal’s white wines are winning admirers all over the world. From the citrusy freshness of Arintos to the floral elegance of Encruzados, there is a Portuguese white wine for every palate and occasion. These wines are amazing, light, fruity, and refreshing drinks. And the country has a huge production and diversity of grape varieties. Some of the grapes may be more aromatic than others. It will be possible and common to find blends. And these wines can be dry or medium-dry.
As the summer heat sets in, white wine becomes the ideal company for moments of relaxation and conviviality. This is a perfect time to explore the richness and diversity of the Lisbon white wines. So, it is time to visit Lisbon and get in touch with some of the wineries to know how much effort and love they give to their wines.
Very close to Lisbon, the tradition of vineyard cultivation resists the expansion of urban areas. Bucelas and Colares are regions that stand out for their unique and historic wines. Further away from the Atlantic coast, the vineyards cultivated in Bucelas benefit from a specific microclimate and an exceptional terroir. Its Arinto wine has been a reference for centuries. The region of Colares is closer to the sea. This coastal region resting on two hills in the Serra de Sintra, also produces famous red wines aged in wood.
Strolling through the vineyards, entering the cellars, and tasting the wines in the company of regional products, is an excellent way to get to know this wine region. Among the natural and built heritage, we find many other treasures. The romantic village of Sintra, a World Heritage Site, Cabo da Roca or the entire coastal area between Lisbon and Azenhas do Mar are must-see spots on a visit to this region and offer refreshing tranquility that fuels the desire to continue discovering this territory.
This summer, give in to the temptation of Portuguese white wines and let yourself be carried away on a journey of aromas and flavors that will refresh your senses and enrich your moments of relaxation. Enjoy this weather and toast with a glass of the best that Lisbon has to offer.
Bucelas
Bucelas was demarcated by royal charter in 1908, still during the time of the monarchy, being the only wine region in the country dedicated exclusively to the production of white and sparkling wines.
Bucelas, located 25 km north of Lisbon, is the only Portuguese region suitable for producing only white wines.
Here, the Arinto variety is the protagonist with a minimum of 75%, and can only be completed using the Esgana-Cão (Sercial) and Rabo de Ovelha varieties.
The queen grape of Lisbon is the variety that expresses all the region’s typicality and qualitative potential, hence the registration as the “Capital of Arinto”.
The microclimate marked by the influence of the fogs from the Tagus River, the winds that blow from the Atlantic Ocean, and the clay-limestone soils full of marine sediments, give the Arinto variety a mineral contribution and firm acidity. This results in wines with a strong character, dryness, elegance and ability to age. And these are the attributes that have made this region one of the most recognized and sought-after in the country and beyond its borders.
The unique style of Arinto wine from Bucelas has been recognized for centuries. Its enormous reputation goes back a long way. It is thought that the Phoenicians and Romans already cultivated Arinto. It was portrayed in the 16th century, by Shakespeare, in his play Henry VI, and then it became famous in the English court through the hand of General Wellington, being known there as Lisbon Hock.
In its complex white wines, with a citrine color and fruity flavor and aroma, acidity and minerality stand out. For this reason, they are special white wines that are highly appreciated, recognized and awarded nationally and internationally.
Here are those I recommend as worth tasting!
Sociedade Agrícola Boas Quintas was born and started to produce wines in 1991, in the recognized wine region of Dão. Due to the positive reception from critics and with the contribution of awards won since 1998, the company reoriented its strategy, so, in 2010, Boas Quintas decided to extend its area of production to other regions, among others the Bucelas.
This citric-colored white wine, produced from the Arinto grape variety by the Morgado de Bucelas, presents lime, green apple, and mineral aromas. On the palate, a fresh wine, that highlights freshness and minerality, with a persistent finish. Serve it between 10-12 ºC. Goes well as a starter, or accompanied with seafood, grilled fish, and salads.
The Quinta das Murgas family estate, located in Bucelas, near Lisbon, was a childhood passion of João França for the countryside and the landscape where the vineyards predominated. The wine business was very important for the family and filled all the time he was on the estate. Equally strong was the relationship with his grandfather, from whom he inherited a taste for wine, accompanying him on his daily walks through the vineyard, helping with the harvest and being able to participate in conversations at the table, which led João to develop a taste for quality wine and a taste to do it well.
And that’s how the Murgas was born in 2017, the name of the Quinta, where the wine is produced. Their winemaker, Bernardo Cabral soon realized how extraordinary that terroir was for the classic and mineral profile.
Arinto grape ensures musts with a high acidity content, which makes it a very traveler variety and is therefore present in all regions. This Murgas Bucelas intends to be a wine with a serious and deep character, and great longevity. It couldn’t be otherwise, after all, it’s an Arinto from Bucelas! It should be served at a temperature between 10-12ºC. Pairing perfectly with fish dishes, white meats, or an apple pie.
Colares
The smallest wine region in Portugal, Colares is also probably one of its most distinct. Located on the coastline of Sintra between the hills and the Atlantic, the region owes its fame to the amazing wines produced in the sandy soil so close to the ocean. It’s also the westernmost wine region in continental Europe. The nearby Cabo de Roca is the westernmost point in continental Europe that was described by Portugal’s greatest poet Luis de Camões as “onde a terra se acaba e o mar começa” (“where the land ends and the sea begins”).
Many factors make it a very special region. One of them is the original vineyards that grow very close to the ocean, in sandy soils, and the proximity to the Atlantic is such that the vines have to be protected from the winds, humidity, and salt from the sea. The traditional dried-reed fences that surround Colares’ vineyards are a centuries-old solution to this problem.
Another reason why these vines are so special is the fact that they have fought like no other the vile phylloxera, the plague that wiped out most European vineyards in the late 19th century. While almost all of the vines in Portugal were dying, this small region was resisting these pests. Thanks to the sandy soil and the vines’ deeper roots, the insects couldn’t feed on the roots of the grape plants that grow here.
No one knows when the first vineyards were planted here but, since the 13th century, Colares wine received a nobility distinction and is often taken to the royal tables. And then, during the 15th century, in the documents proving the shipment and loading of the ships destined for India, the preference for Colares wine was notorious as well. And after the phylloxera disease in the 19th century, the category of Colares wine was imposed, making it the first Portuguese table wine.
Soil is key in the region. The sandy and the heavy clays are quite literally fundamental to Colares’ viticulture. Wines made from vines planted on any other soil type cannot be legally sold as Colares.
In modern times, the region’s wines occupy just a tiny niche in Portugal’s forward-looking wine industry, however, these wines are perhaps one of the most peculiar wines in the country.
The grape varieties of Colares wines are, like the region itself, peculiar.
The queen variety is the red Ramisco, which gives difficult wines with pronounced acidity and a great concentration of tannins. Although Ramisco is genetically linked to Pinot Noir, it is inimitable, in that it is extremely elegant.
When it comes to the whites, one of the main grapes is the Malvasia of Colares, as its name indicates, a Malvasia variety exclusive to the Colares region. And recently the white wines are more valued in the region. These white wines have a salinity but are very elegant.
The other main white variety in the region is the Galego Dourado which serves to bring some alcoholic strength to the wines and also helps to balance some of the stronger acidity that in cooler years the Malvasia de Colares may have.
In any way, be sure to taste the wines of Colares, if you like unique and unforgettable experiences. Here are my recommendations for wine tours and tastings.
To be considered Colares DOC, the grapes have to grow in the region’s sandy soil. Wines made from grapes growing in clay soil are called Vinho Regional de Lisboa.
This is the type of wine produced by Casal de Santa Maria, a winery with a very romantic story behind it.
The tale begins in the 1960s, when Baron Bodo von Bruemmer, originally from the Baltics but living in Switzerland, decided to retire in Portugal and fell in love with this beautiful farm close to Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point in continental Europe). The house and outer buildings were practically in ruins, yet he renovated with the utmost care. The gardens also needed quite a lot of work, so much in fact that he only uncovered a lovely blue and white tiled fountain, hidden for years by overgrown bushes, in 2006.
The baron didn’t begin making wine immediately, he was preoccupied with farming and his successful horse-breeding business.
After his wife, Rosário, died in 1994, the baron planted 5,000 roses next to the vineyards in a tribute to his wife, Rosário. That explains Casal’s dreamlike landscape where roses bloom amongst the grapes against the backdrop of the blue ocean. And this brings us to the name of the rosé, Mar de Rosas (Sea of Roses).
And after a serious operation in 2006, he decided to start producing wine on the farm. Despite being 96 years old, Bodo was undeterred – as he saw it, there’s no such thing as too late or too old.
Ten years later, in 2016, Bodo von Bruemmer accomplished his dream with the help of his grandson Nicholas, successfully producing wine. When the baron died that same year, Nicholas moved to Casal de Santa Maria, with his family, keeping the heritage alive.
The grapes are grown in clay, not sandy soil, but still produce surprisingly salty whites under the name Casal de Santa Maria.
This bright greenish-colored wine from the Malvasia grape has light floral aromas characteristic of the variety, fresh and vibrant notes of anise and tangerine. On the palate, a sensation of freshness and acidity with a long finish, and the characteristic salty sensation, predominant in the Colares.
Quinta de San Michel is located in the historic wine-growing region of Colares, between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It was the starting point for a family project, characterized by the limited production of exclusive wines that express the terroir of the estate. The vineyard was planted in 2013, in typical sandy soils.
The Quinta is distinguished by the production of unique and genuine wines. The wines are only released following a gradual process of aging in the bottle, which means that all their wines spend at least another two years in the cellar, in addition to one year in the bottle.
In 2017, the winery launched one of the unique wines in the region, a blend of the Arinto and Malvasia grapes, which they believe is one of the Quinta’s hallmarks. The wine stands out for its uniqueness and the harmony between these two fantastic grape varieties.
The wine is straw yellow in color, fresh, and with excellent aromatic complexity, with notes of citrus, peach, pineapple, seaweed, coconut and some balsamic. On the palate, it has a vibrant acidity, and at the end a saline component that gives it a long and persistent finish. It pairs well with meat dishes such as suckling pig or oven-roasted lamb.
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