Fine Portuguese Wine

Wine is a drink that is savored by people across the world. Wine is produced in many countries; but it is Portuguese wine that is very famous today. It was the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and the Romans who had introduced wine to Portugal.

It was during the Roman Empire that the vineyard culture in Portugal greatly developed. This lead to Portugal supplying its wines to Rome. And as wines grew more and more popular in Rome, the demand for Portugal wine slowly exceeded the wine production in Portugal.

In 1758, Regiao Demarcada do Douro, the first wine producing region of the world was created under the control of Marquis of Pombal, in the Douro Valley. Since then, this region has worked at guaranteeing the production of excellent wines.

Today Portugal is famous for having the oldest appellation system in the world, the Douro Valley. It is here and in Vinho Verde region of Portugal that some of the finest and most expensive wines of the world is produced. There are two wine producing regions in Portugal that are protected by UNESCO as being World Heritage. These are the Douro Valley Wine Region and the Pico Island Wine Region.

At present, there are more than 500 native breeds in Portugal producing a large variety of wines, with a distinctive personality. It is the quality and specialty of its wines that has made Portugal an important player in wine production. Portugal today falls in the top 10 wine producing countries and has captured 4% of the world wine market.

With 8% of its continental land dedicated to vineyards, Portugal is considered a traditional wine grower. The only parts of Portugal that cannot support viticulture are its highest mountain peaks.

Portugal is now home to a great, international wine success story. In fact, in the 1980s, Mateus was responsible for over 40% of Portugal’s table wine exports which were very popular in Europe. The United States prefers the Lancers of Portugal, which are still very much in demand in America.