Brought in the ancient world Phoenicia , Greeks and Romans to the Iberian Peninsula vines. Under the long Moorish domination of 8 to 12 Centuries has stagnated while the wine, but came in spite of Alcohol ban to a halt. As in many other countries affected Cistercian viticulture crucial in the 12th Century, they founded more than 100 monasteries in Portugal. King Dinis (1279-1325) promoted agriculture and vineyards to such an extent that built with the proceeds of a commercial fleet, and thus the basis for the rise to world power was created. He was therefore nicknamed "Lavrador Rei" (King of the peasants). From independence in 1385, a lively wine trade developed with England .

The most famous wine of Portugal is the Port . Its great triumph began when in 1703 as the Methuen Treaty was concluded designated treaty between England and Portugal. It stated that large tariff reductions for the importation of Portuguese wines. As early as 1756 by the famous prime minister Marques de Pombal (1699-1782) arranged for the exact boundaries Douro set. This is therefore one next to Chianti to the very first Origin Areas. A special role is played in the port wine trade in 1790 in Postage Opened Factory House , where the British were negotiating with each other factors and concluded its business.

In the 19th Century were Mildew and Phylloxera most of the vineyards of Portugal destroyed. Not until 1930 was a rebuilding. After the dictatorship ended in 1974 began the transition from mass production to cheaper wines, quality products. Because of the climate, the country is ideal for viticulture, viniculture since the driving northern part of Portugal has abundant rainfall and a long, beautiful summer. The soils consist mostly of granite and slate. Viticulture in Portugal a very important economic factor, since it live on about 15% of the population. In 2007 were produced by 248 000 hectares 6.074 million hectoliters of wine. To 30% of whites and 70% produces rosé and red wines. Among the most famous Portuguese wines are probably the dessert wines of Madeira and Port And Vinho Verde . However, have created in the 1942 Rosé Mateus of the same year, a company founded Sogrape and similar products such as Lancers of the Company Fonseca expired with about 40% of the Portuguese export volume for some time that the rank.

With more than 50% of Portugal is the world's largest producer of Cork , of which about half comes from the province of Alentejo . Another special feature is the variety of local grapes. In the "Land of the 500 indigenous grape varieties" that have been used mostly as a set of mixed cultivation. The same names or synonyms commonly cause confusion, but are by DNA increasingly clear lineages. Only in the 1980s was mainly due to EU regulations on quality wines began to create a pure varietal vineyards. There are many varieties of it (sometimes with different names) in the adjacent Spain . The Blend is found among the top 30 not only international variety (~ 2004 level):

Grape	Color	Synonyms or names in Spain	Hectare	%
Fernao Pires	white	Maria Gomes	23 000	9.3
Castelão Francês	red	João de Santarém, Mortágua, Periquita	20 500	8.3
Touriga Franca	red	formerly Touriga Francesa, Tourigo Francês	14 000	5.7
Malvasia	white	M. Branca, M. Fina, M. Oeiras, M. Trigueira	13 000	5.3
Trincadeira Preta	red	Tinta Amarela, Trincadeira	13 000	5.3
Baga	red	Baga de Louro	11 000	4.5
Siria	white	Alva, Codega, Crato, Roupeiro	10 500	4.3
Vinhão	red	Azal Tinto, Thurs Espadeiro Basto, Sousão	8800	3.6
Tinta Barroca	red	Barroca, Tinta Gorda, Tinta Grossa	7400	3.0
Loureiro	white	Loureiro Branco, loureira	6000	2.4
Arinto	white	Arinto de Bucelas, Pedernã	5600	2.3
Rufete	red	Rifete, Rufeta, Tinta Pinheira	5500	2.2
Aragonez	red	Aragonês, Tempranillo , Tinta Roriz	5300	2.1
Tinta Carvalha	red	Gordo Preto, Tinta Carvalha you Douro	5300	2.1
Mourisco Tinto	red	Marufo, Mourisco you Douro, Mourisco Preto	5300	2.1
Vital	white	Bonifacio Boal, Malvasia Corada	5100	2.1
Azal Branco	white	Azal, Azal as Lixa, Pinheira	5100	2.1
Borraçal	red	Borraçal Mindo Borraco, Caiño Tinto	4500	1.8
Bastardo	red	María Ardoña, Merenzao , Trousseau Noir	4500	1.8
	white	B. Barreiro, B. Branco Chachudo B., B. Espinho	4000	1.6
Touriga Nacional	red	Touriga, Tinta Fina	3500	1.4
Jaén you Dão	red	Galeno Jaen, Jaen Noir, Jaen Tinto Mencia	3400	1.4
Rabo de Ovelha	white	Rabo de Ovelha Cola de Res, Rabigato	2700	1.1
Gouveio	white	Gouveio Real Guveio, Godello , Verdelho	2400	1.0
Espadeiro	red	Espadão, E. Molle, E. da Terra, E. Tinto	2400	1.0
Diagalves	white	Formosa, Pendura Amarela, Villanueva	2300	0.9
Alvarino	white	Albariño , Alvarinha, Azal Blanco, Galeguinho	1700	0.7
Moreto	red	Moreto d'Alentejo, Dao M. Thurs, M. de Souro	1600	0.6
Bical	white	Bical de Bairrada, Borrado the Mosca	1400	0.6
Tamarez	white	Arinto Gordo, Tamares, Trincadeira the Pratas	1300	0.5

For the age and maturity of a wine, it's about terms such as Verde (no aging), Maduro (matured in barrels or old), Reserve (Red wines age of three, including one in bottle, white wine a year, six months in bottle) Garrafeira (Such as Reserva and higher alcohol content) and Velho (red three white wines age two years). Doce, or adamado means sweet (see appropriate with all other terms).

Wine categories: In August 2009, the EU wine market organization with fundamental changes in the levels of quality wine terms and was valid. For the EU countries to allow time for changes, a transition period until end of 2011. The following new names and grades (see also detailed below Quality System ):

* Vinho - corresponds to the forbidden word now as Vino de Mesa
* = IGP Indicação Geographical Protection (formerly VR = Vinho Regional)
* DOP = Denominação de Origem Protegida (formerly IPR, DOC)

Vinho leve: A low-alcohol wine (leve = easy). These are wines that do not reach the prescribed minimum in each region-alcohol content. In at least 9% alcohol content, they are marketed as vinho de mesa (table wine), which appear in this case on the additional label "Vinho leve 'needs.

Vinho de Mesa (VdM): Equivalent to a Table wine .

Vinho Regional (VR): The lowest level of the three-tier appellate system applies to all regional wines. These wines have a very special meaning. A wine with this classification will be produced, for example, if wineries are located outside the defined area as a DOC or other varieties are used as approved. This is contrary to the Portuguese tradition, using grapes from outside of a region or area of origin of many areas. Can not often produce the best wines their vineyards under the name of the Board and declared as DOC wines represent only the second quality class dar. One philosophy in this instance with the Italian Super-Tuscans . compare There are eight major areas of VR, which often are the same region or DOC-limits.

Indicacão de proveniencia regulamentada (IPR): The quality level was introduced with the EU accession of Spain and equivalent to the former French VDQS . There are about a dozen of these areas (see below).

Denominação de origem controlada (DOC): The highest level includes quality wines protected regions and corresponds to the Italian DOC, DO Spanish and French AOC. The areas by region:

Alentejo (DOC)
* Alentejano (VR)
* Borba (Sub-area)
* Evora (Sub-area)
* Granja Amareleja (Sub-area)
* Moura (Sub-area)
* Portalegre (Sub-area)
* Redondo (Sub-area)
* Reguengos (Sub-area)
* Vidigueira (Sub-area)

Algarve (VR)
* Lagoa (DOC)
* Lagos (DOC)
* Portimao (DOC)
* Tavira (DOC)

Azores (IPR)
* Biscoitos (IPR)
* Graciosa (IPR)
* Pico (IPR)

Beiras (VR)
* Bairrada (DOC)
* Beira Interior (DOC)
* Dao (DOC)
* Lafões (IPR)
* Távora-Varosa (DOC)

Douro (DOC)
* Duriense (VR)
* Port (DOC for Port wine)

Estremadura
* (DOC)
* Arruda (DOC)
* Bucelas (DOC)
* Carcavelos (DOC)
* Cartaxo (IPR)
* Colares (DOC)
* Lisbon - Estremadura earlier (VR)
* Lourinhã (DOC)
* Torres Vedras (DOC)

Madeira (DOC)
* Madeirense (DOC)
* Terra Madeirenses (VR)

Península de Setúbal - Formerly Terras do Sado (VR)
* Arrábida (IPR)
* Palmela (DOC)
* Setubal (DOC)

Ribatejo (DOC)
* Cartaxo (IPR)
* Tejo - Formerly Ribatejana (VR)

Tras-os-Montes (DOC)
* Transmontano (VR)

Vinho Verde (DOC)
* Rios do Minho (VR)

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