There are over 400,000 hectares (1 million acres) of vines producing a diverse range of styles from light dry fruity whites to classic full bodied reds, with sweet dessert wines and a thriving sparkling wine industry. Ultra modern wineries, with all the technology that investment can bring, can be found alongside small traditional wineries where wines are still fermented in tall clay pots and grapes are trodden in 'lagares'. Portugal is the seventh largest wine producing country in the world.

Duoro Valley

Fortified wines, notably Port and Madeira, and rosé wines, Mateus and Lancers, account for over 70% of Portugal's wine exports and yet are only 15% of total wine production. Many dry wines from Dão, Bairrada, Ribatejo, Alentejo and Vinho Verde are making their mark on the export markets, reflecting the typicity and character of their respective regions while at the same time providing excellent value for money in their quality categories. 'Garrafeira' wines are another speciality of Portugal and are worth seeking out. These are blended 'reserve' wines from exceptional years that have been aged in wood for at least two years prior to bottling, and a further one year in bottle before release.

The rosé wine industry is extremely important where wines are produced in a slightly pétillant, medium dry style, consistent, fresh and fruity and with a special appeal to 'novice' drinkers. Production is taken very seriously and involves some of the most technically advanced wineries in Portugal. Another speciality, based on the Moscatel (Muscat*) grape is Moscatel de Setubal, a fortified sweet wine that can be aged for up to 50 years in oak. In practice most are aged from 6 to 20 years and are ready to drink when bottled.

Port

'barco rabelo'

Port is vinified by 'arresting' the fermentation of the still wine, when the alcohol level reaches 6-8%. This is done by the addition of a neutral grape spirit or brandy, which kills the fermenting yeast but retains the residual grape sugars. This is what gives port its sweetness and an alcohol level of around 20%. The principal styles of Port are:

• Ruby
  The simplest style, a young port matured in bulk for 2/3 years and bottled for early consumption. Very deep purple colour.

• Tawny
  A wood aged Port, often made from paler wines and taking on the russet hue of the wood. Aged Tawnies are generally blends from different years, but resembling the character of a particular year, i.e. 10 year old, 20 year old etc. They take on a nutty characteristic.

• Vintage
  Only 'declared' in exceptional years, Vintage Ports are a blend of wines from that year but made from the best grapes. They are normally bottled after 2/3 years in wood and need extensive bottle age to soften and mature. They are unfiltered so consequently throw sediment, and require decanting.

• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
  A wine from a single year that has been bottled between the fourth and sixth year. It is generally filtered and stabilised so requires no decanting.