White grapes:
Alvarinho, Arinto (aka Pedernã), Avesso, Azal, Batoca (aka Alvaraça), Cainho, Cascal, Diagalves, Esganinho, Esganoso, Fernão Pires (aka Maria Gomes), Folgasão, Gouveio, Lameiro, Loureiro, Malvasia-Fina, Malvasia-Rei, Pintosa, São Mamede, Semillon, Sercial (aka Esgana-Cão), Tália (aka
Ugni-Blanc, Trebbiano Toscano) and Trajadura (aka Treixadura).
Black Grapes:
Alicante-Bouschet, Alvarelhão (aka Brancelho), Amaral (aka Azal tinto), Baga, Borraçal, Doçal, Doce, Espadeiro, Espadeiro-Mole, Grand-Noir, Labrusco, Mourisco, Padeiro (aka Padeiro de Basto), Pedral, Pical (aka Piquepoul-Noir), Rabo-de-Anho, Sezão, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira (aka Tinta Amarela, Trincadeira-Preta), Verdelho-Tinto, Verdial-Tinto and Vinhão (aka Sousão).
Amarante. White grapes: Arinto, Avesso, Azal-Trajadura. Black grapes: Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, and Vinhão
Ave. White grapes: Arinto, Loureiro, and Trajadura. Black grapes: Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, Padeiro, and Vinhão
Baião. White grapes: Arinto, Avesso, and Azal. Black grapes: Alvarelhão, Amaral, Borraçal, and Vinhão
Basto.White grapes: Arinto, Azal, Batocal, and Trajadura. Black grapes: Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, Padeiro, Rabo-de Anho, and Vinhão
Cávado. White grapes: Arinto, Loureiro, Trajadura. Black grapes: Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, Padeiro, and Vinhão
Lima. White grapes: Arinto, Loureiro, and Trajadura. Black grapes: Borraçal, Espadeiro, and Vinhão
Monção e Melgaço. White grapes: Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Trajadura. Black grapes:Alvarelhão, Borraçal, Pedral, and Vinhão
Paiva. White grapes: Arinto, Avesso, Loureiro, and Trajadura. Black grapes:Amaral, Borraçal, and Vinhão
Sousa. White grapes: Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Loureiro, and Trajadura. Black grapes: Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, and Vinhão
White grapes:
Alvarinho, Arinto (aka Pedernã), Avesso, Azal, Batoca (aka Alvaraça), Cainho, Cascal, Chardonnay, Chenin, Colombard, Diagalves, Esganinho, Esganoso, Fernão Pires (aka Maria Gomes), Folgasão, Gouveio, Lameiro, Loureiro, Malvasia-Fina, Malvasia-Rei, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot-Blanc, Pintosa, Rabo-de Ovelha, Riesling, São Mamede, Sauvignon (aka Sauvignon-Blanc), Sercial (aka Esgana-Cão), Tália (aka Ugni-Blanc, Trebbiano Toscano), Trajadura (aka Treixadura), Verdelho, Viognier and Viosinho.
Black Grapes:
Alfrocheiro, Alicante-Bouschet, Alvarelhão (akaBrancelho), Amaral (akaAzal tinto), Aragonês (akaTinta-Roriz, Tempranillo), Baga, Borraçal, Cabernet-Franc, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Castelão, Doçal, Doce, Espadeiro, Espadeiro-Mole, Grand-Noir, Jaen (akaMencia), Labrusco, Merlot, Mourisco, Padeiro (akaPadeiro de Basto), Pedral, Pical (aka Piquepoil Noir), Pinot-Noir, Rabo-de-Anho, Sezão, Syrah (akaShiraz), Tinta-Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira (akaTinta Amarela, Trincadeira-Preta), Verdelho-Tinto, Verdial-Tinto and Vinhão (akaSousão).
Pink grapes:
Gewürtraminer and Pinot-Gris (aka Pinot-Grigio).
ALVARINHO
This grape variety is grown particularly in the subregion of Monção and Melgaço, but, given its high quality, it has spread to other parts of the region and the country.
With some ancient presence in the Lima Valley, where it is known as Galego or Galeguinho referring to its Galician origins just the other side of the Minho River.
Ampelographic Features:
Revolute adult leaf with erect hairs on the upper side.
Small, winged bunches, sometimes double-winged, turn pinkish in tone when exposed to the sun.
Long internodes and flattened trunk.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Early, six days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Early, three days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Early to Medium, 7 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Early
Medium-vigor, fairly hardy variety.
With high fertility, three inflorescences per shoot, giving rise to very small, winged and moderately compact clusters, which makes it low-yielding. This aspect is taken into account in the regional regulations, which set a maximum yield of 69.3 hectolitres per hectare (hl/ha), while that of other grape varieties is 80 hl/ha. It requires dry soils to enhance its wine quality and is well adapted to rootstocks 196-17 and 99R. It is susceptible to downy and powdery mildew, highly susceptible to acariasis and prone to esca.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces extremely high-sugar musts with a reasonable amount of organic acids.
It produces a wine with an intense straw-yellow colour and yellow-green tints. The aroma is intense, distinct, delicate and complex, ranging from quince, peach, banana, lemon, passion fruit and lychee (fruity character) to orange blossom and violet (floral character) with hazelnut, walnut and honeyed notes adding further complexity. On the palate it is complex, soft, round, harmonious, full-bodied, and persistent.
Used in high quality varietal wines, it also makes an excellent blend with Trajadura.
ARINTO (aka PEDERNÃ)
Grown throughout most of the region under the name Pedernã, this is the Arinto de Bucelas grape, which reaches its peak quality in the region’s inland areas. It has numerous synonyms: Asal Espanhol or Asal Galego in Amarante, Pé de Perdiz in Cabeceiras de Basto, Perdigão in Mondim, and further south in the region, Chapeludo.
Ampelographic Features:
Adult leaf showing some polymorphism (ranging from entire to five-lobed), with an irregular profile and erect hairs on the underside which give it a velvety texture.
Large, highly winged and compact clusters with small berries.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium, 13 days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Medium, six days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Medium, 13 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Medium
A high-vigor variety, generally with low fertility, producing one inflorescence per shoot. However, it produces large, very compact, heavy clusters, and is generally medium to high yield. It is highly susceptible to green leafhopper, and susceptible to bunch rot as well as both downy and powdery mildew.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces must with a medium to high sugar content and a relatively elevated level of organic acids.
It produces wines with a lemon-yellow to straw-yellow color. The aroma is rich, ranging from citrus and orchard fruits such as ripe apple and pear to floral notes reminiscent of the lantana flower. On the palate, the wine is fresh, harmonious, full-bodied, and persistent.
It is used in blended white wines with any of the other regional white grape varieties, and in the production of excellent quality varietal wines.
AVESSO
This grape is mainly cultivated in the Baião subregion, but its high quality has led to its being planted in neighboring subregions such as Amarante, Paiva, and Sousa.
Also known locally as Bornão or Borral, and as white Borraçal.
Ampelographic Features:
The adult leaf is wider than it is long, with a very open U-shaped petiolar sinus, with a smooth and glabrous underside.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Early, four days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Early, two days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Medium, 13 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Medium to Late
This variety is very vigorous and hardy. With medium fertility and one to two inflorescences per shoot, it produces medium-sized, moderately compact clusters, making this a medium yield variety.
It requires good ripening conditions, otherwise it either rots or ripens poorly, failing to achieve its full quality potential. It is highly susceptible to downy mildew and bunch rot, and susceptible to powdery mildew.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces wines with an intense pale straw color and greenish highlights. The aroma is delicate, refined, subtle, and complex, combining notes of orange and peach with almond and floral elements, with the fruit character clearly dominant. This also carries through onto the palate, where the wine displays gentle acidity, freshness, harmony, full body, and a long finish.
Used in white wine blends and in the production of excellent varietal wines.
AZAL
This grape is cultivated mainly in the inland areas of the region, where it ripens well and reaches its optimal level of quality when planted in dry, well-exposed sites in the Amarante, Basto, Baião, and Sousa subregions.
Widely known as Asal da Lixa in Amarante, Gadelhudo in Felgueiras and Pinheira or Carvalhal in Lousada.
Ampelographic Features:
The adult leaf is orbicular and thick, with very regular serrated teeth, a U-shaped petiolar sinus, and abundant prostrate hairs on the underside.
Cluster is medium, highly winged and compact, with a greenish hue even when ripe.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Early to Medium, nine days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Early, five days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Late, 16 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Late
This is a highly vigorous grape variety, with multiple shoots arising from the same bud and a long growth cycle. It has medium fertility, with one to two inflorescences per shoot, producing medium-sized, very compact and heavy clusters, making it highly productive. It is susceptible to downy mildew and bunch rot, and highly susceptible to powdery mildew.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces wines of a pale, open lemon-yellow color. The aroma shows lemon and green apple, not excessively intense but complex, fine, pleasant, fresh and citrus-driven. The palate is fruity and gently crisp, with freshness and a youthful character, although in exceptional years it may show greater body and harmony.
It is used in white wine blends with regional white varieties such as Arinto, Batoca and Loureiro, and in the production of quality varietals.|
BATOCA
This variety is grown mainly in the Basto subregion where it achieves its highest quality. Its yields are highly irregular.
It is known as Alvaraça in the Douro, Espadeiro Branco in Lousada and Sedouro or Sá Douro in the southern part of the region.
Ampelographic Features:
It has a large adult leaf, entire, very light green, with a carmine-red petiolar point and vein bases.
Large, winged cluster with medium-sized berries and a very prominent attachment scar.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium to Late, 14 days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering Time: Medium to Late, eight days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Medium, 11 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Medium
This is a very high-vigor grape variety. With low fertility, producing one inflorescence per shoot, it yields large, compact and bulky clusters, making it a medium yield, if irregular variety.
Enological Characteristics:
It is mainly used in white wine blends with other varieties from inland areas, namely Arinto and Azal, and is rarely used for varietals.
In favorable years, it produces wines with medium to high alcohol levels and low total acidity, with simple, low-intensity aromas and a soft-textured palate.
LOUREIRO
A grape variety now widely planted across almost the entire region, but better adapted to coastal areas and therefore less widely cultivated inland.
Its principal synonym, Dourado, derives from the golden colour of ripe grapes exposed to the sun.
Ampelographic Features:
Adult leaf showing some polymorphism, (from entire to three-lobed) with an irregular profile and upturned, revolute lobes.
Cluster size and compactness vary depending on soil fertility and moisture.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium, 11 days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Medium, five days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Medium, 12 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Medium
A medium-vigor grape variety with good affinity to SO4, 196-17 and 101-14 rootstocks. With high fertility and two inflorescences per shoot, it yields long, moderately compact and heavy clusters, making it a high-yield variety. It is highly susceptible to powdery mildew, Phomopsis cane and leaf spot (excoriose), bunch rot and mites, and susceptible to downy mildew.
Enological Characteristics:
This ancient, high-quality grape variety produces musts with a pronounced, characteristic varietal aroma. It yields lemon-yellow wines with a fine, elegant bouquet ranging from citrus fruit (lemon) to floral notes (freesia, rose) and hints of honey. The palate is fruity, with gentle acidity and is fresh, harmonious, full-bodied, and persistent.
It is used in blended white wines with any of the other regional white grape varieties, and in the production of excellent varietals.
TRAJADURA
This grape variety has more recently become cultivated across almost the entire region, with the exception of Baião.
It is also known as Trinca-dente or Trincadeira in Arcos de Valdevez.
Ampelographic Features:
The adult leaf is orbicular, thin and almost glabrous, with a U-shaped petiolar sinus.
Medium-sized, winged and highly compact cluster, developing a toasted color when exposed to the sun.
Berries with thin skins and firm flesh, prone to splitting.
Shoots with short internodes and a reddish colour.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Late, 17 days later than Fernão Pires
Flowering: Medium, seven days later than Fernão Pires
Veraison: Early to Medium, 6 days later than Fernão Pires
Ripening: Early
A high-vigor grape variety with a short vegetative cycle. With medium fertility and one to two inflorescences per shoot, it produces medium-sized, very compact and heavy clusters, making it a high-yield variety. It is highly susceptible to downy mildew and bunch rot, and prone to mealybugs.
Enological Characteristics:
A high-quality grape variety, producing musts with a delicate aroma and naturally low acidity. It yields wines of a deep golden straw color, with an intense bouquet of ripe tree fruits (apple, pear and peach) and macerated notes, and a soft, warm, rounded palate, although under certain conditions it may show some imbalance due to its low acidity.
It is used in white wine blends with higher-acidity regional white varieties such as Arinto, Loureiro and especially Alvarinho. More recently, it has attracted interest as a varietal.
ALVARELHÃO (aka BRANCELHO)
This is an ancient grape variety, also cultivated in other wine regions such as Douro and Dão.
Sparsely planted in the region, it is particularly cultivated in the Monção subregion as Brancelho, while in the southern part of the region (Arouca) it is known as Pirruivo.
Ampelographic Features:
Five-lobed, orbicular leaf, strongly blistered, with an irregular, funnel-shaped profile around the petiolar sinus and revolute lobes. Loose clusters, with berries that sometimes retain a pinkish hue when ripe.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium, eight days later than Castelão
Flowering: Early, three days later than Castelão
Veraison: Medium, 8 days later than Castelão
Ripening: Medium
A vigorous grape variety with abundant sprouting of dormant buds. With medium fertility and one to two inflorescences per shoot, it produces medium-sized, loose clusters, resulting in low to moderate yield. It is prone to coulure and susceptible to powdery mildew, bunch rot, and leafhoppers.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts with moderate sugar levels and high acidity.
It produces wines with freshness, ranging in color from ruby to light ruby, with a delicate varietal aroma and a harmonious and pleasant palate.
Used in blended red wines that used to be known as palhete de Monção, or Monção light reds, nowadays it is being used to make rosés.
AMARAL
This is one of the oldest grape varieties in the region, which is why it has given rise to many other regional varieties through natural crossings.
Predominantly cultivated in the Paiva subregion to the south, it is found throughout the region under the synonym Azal Tinto in central and northern municipalities, Cainho Bravo or Cainho Miúdo in Monção, and Cainzinho in Arcos de Valdevez.
Ampelographic Features:
A grape variety showing strong polymorphism in the adult leaf, ranging from entire to more deeply lobed forms.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium, ten days later than Castelão
Flowering: Early, two days later than Castelão
Veraison: Late, 15 days later than Castelão
Ripening: Late
A hardy grape variety of medium vigor. With high fertility and two to three inflorescences per shoot, it nevertheless produces small clusters, resulting in low yield.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces wines of deep ruby colour, with no distinctive varietal aroma, full-bodied and with a slightly acidic palate.
It is used in red wine blends, contributing to their stability.
BORRAÇAL
A widely planted grape variety, cultivated throughout the region, which has resulted in a large number of synonyms. This also stems from some lack of adaptation to local growing conditions in certain areas.
It is known as Esfarrapa in Viana do Castelo, Caninho Grosso or Cainho Grande in Monção, and Bogalhal or Olho de Sapo in Basto.
Ampelographic Features:
Adult leaf pentagonal and flat, with a petiolar sinus formed by completely overlapping lobes.
Clusters are small, usually winged, with berries of non-uniform size.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Medium, eight days later than Castelão
Flowering Time: Early, one day later than Castelão
Veraison: Medium, 11 days later than Castelão
Ripening: Medium to Late
Variety is very vigorous and hardy. With medium to high fertility and two inflorescences per shoot, it nevertheless produces small clusters, resulting in low yield. Yield is irregular, due to a tendency towards coulure and millerandage. It is susceptible to powdery mildew and sunburn, and highly susceptible to bunch rot.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts naturally rich in malic acid, which contributes to total acidity.
It produces ruby-coloured wines with a varietal aroma and a balanced, pleasant palate.
It is used in red wine blends, contributing to their freshness.
ESPADEIRO
This is a grape variety with moderate presence throughout the region. It has many synonyms linked to the bloom on the berries and the pale color of the wines, such as Padeira in Basto, Areal in Amares, and also Cinza, Farinhoto, Fogeiro and Tinta dos Pobres.
Ampelographic Features:
Young shoots and leaves have a strong carmine tint.
The adult leaf is glabrous and dark green, with an irregular profile and carmine-colored petiolar point.
Long clusters with berries bearing abundant bloom, giving them a rough appearance.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Average, 10 days later than Castelão
Flowering Time: Early, one day later than Castelão
Veraison: Late, 15 days later than Castelão
Ripening: Late to Very Late
This is a long-cycle variety requiring high levels of heat accumulation to reach full ripeness. With medium fertility and one to two inflorescences per shoot, it produces large, elongated clusters, making it highly productive.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts with low sugar levels and high acidity.
It produces wines of a pale ruby to ruby color, with varietal aroma and palate, and noticeable acidity.
Used in red wine blends, it has also long been employed in the region for the production of varietal rosé wines (Espadal), vinified using the traditional bica aberta, meaning it is vinified off-skin.
PADEIRO
Sparsely planted in the region, it is particularly cultivated in the Basto subregion and also found in the Ave and Cávado subregions under the names Tinto Matias and Dom Pedro.
Ampelographic Features:
Adult leaf large, light green, smooth, soft, and five-lobed.
Large, loose clusters.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Average, 11 days later than Castelão
Flowering: Medium, four days later than Castelão
Veraison: Early to Medium, nine days later than Castelão
Ripening: Medium
This variety is of medium vigor and low hardiness. It has medium fertility, one to two inflorescences per shoot and large, loose clusters, resulting in high yield. It shows low susceptibility to bunch rot but is susceptible to water stress.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts naturally rich in sugars and low in acidity, yielding wines ranging in color from ruby to garnet. With varietal aroma, and flavors reminiscent of red fruits (strawberry and raspberry), the palate is harmonious and pleasant.
It is used in red wine blends, and in varietal rosé wines.
PEDRAL
This grape has a limited presence in the region, but is particularly suited to the Monção subregion, where it is known as Cainho dos Milagres and Alvarinho tinto.
It also appears sporadically in other areas under other names, such as Perna de Perdiz in Ponte de Lima, Castelão in Amarante, and Pardal in Castelo de Paiva.
Ampelographic Features:
It has a dark green, three-lobed leaf, with a petiolar sinus formed by overlapping lobes, creating an O shape.
Winged clusters, sometimes double (as in Alvarinho).
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Early, four days later than Castelão
Flowering Time: Early, at the same time as Castelão
Early to Medium: six days later than Castelão
Ripening: Early to Medium
This variety is of high vigor and low hardiness. With medium to high fertility and two inflorescences per shoot, it produces medium-sized, moderately compact clusters, resulting in moderate yield. Yield is irregular, due to a tendency toward coulure.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
It produces musts with moderate levels of sugar and acidity.
It produces wines of a pale ruby to ruby color (similarly to Espadeiro). The aroma and palate are varietal and harmonious.
Used in red wine blends, formerly known as palhete de Monção or Monção light red.
RABO DE ANHO
A very sparsely planted variety in the region, it is particularly cultivated in the Basto subregion, where it can ripen successfully, as it has a long growing cycle and very late maturation.
It is known regionally as Rabo de Ovelha, under which name it appears in many lists of grape varieties.
Ampelographic Features:
Three-lobed leaf, wavy and blistered, with very weak serration and a petiolar sinus formed by overlapping lobes, creating an O shape.
Shoot with long internodes.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Late, 16 days later than Castelão
Flowering: Medium, four days later than Castelão
Veraison: Very late, 23 days later than Castelão
Ripening: Very Late
This is a highly vigorous grape variety. With medium fertility and one to two inflorescences per shoot, it produces large, moderately compact clusters, making it productive, if irregular in yield.
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts that are rich in sugars, in certain locations, and are highly acidic.
It produces wines of a ruby color, with a neutral aroma and palate.
It is used in red wine blends.
VINHÃO
This variety is widely planted across the region due to its quality. Given the high concentration of pigment in its berry skins, it is the Portuguese variety with the greatest ability to impart color to wine, although it cannot be classified as a teinturier variety, as it lacks red flesh.
This characteristic has led to the greatest number of synonyms of any grape variety in the region. It is known as Tinta, Tinta Nacional or Tinto Antigo; Negrão in Monção; Pinta Fêmea in Melgaço; Espadeiro da Tinta in Valença; Espadeiro Basto in Arcos de Valdevez; and Vinhão de Tinta in Basto.
Ampelographic Features:
This variety shows some polymorphism in adult leaves, ranging from entire to deeply lobed and from weakly to strongly blistered. This may be related to the diversity of ecosystems to which it has adapted.
In profile, the adult leaf is channelled along the main vein, forming a V shape.
Viticultural and Agronomic Behavior:
Budburst: Late, 15 days later than Castelão
Flowering: Medium, six days later than Castelão
Veraison: Early to Medium, nine days later than Castelão
Ripening: Medium
The variety is vigorous and medium yield. This is a variety with a short growing cycle, but its delayed budbreak means production occurs very late. With high fertility, two inflorescences per shoot, and medium clusters, it is a medium yield variety. It is susceptible to mites, water stress and sunburn (leaf and berry scorch).
Enological Characteristics:
It produces musts with moderately high levels of sugar and some acidity.
It produces wines of intense garnet color, with a vinous aroma in which wild fruits (blackberry and raspberry) are evident. The palate is similarly vinous, full-bodied, and slightly astringent.|
Widely used in red blends for its strong pigmentation, it is currently also vinified as a high-quality varietal.