Portuguese wine

Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the Methuen Treaty in 1703. From this commerce a wide variety of wines started to be grown in Portugal. And, in 1758, one of the first wine-producing regions of the world, the "Região Demarcada do Douro" was created under the orientation of Marquis of Pombal, in the Douro Valley. Portugal has two wine-producing regions protected by UNESCO as World Heritage: the Douro Valley Wine Region ("Douro Vinhateiro") and Pico Island Wine Region ("Ilha do Pico Vinhateira"). Portugal has a big variety of local kinds, producing a very wide variety of different wines with distinctive personality.
History.
In southern Iberian Peninsula, some archeological finds attest that the consumption of wine occurred around the 7th to the 6th century B.C. and production started in the 5th to the 4th century B.C. Romans did much to expand and promote viticulture in their settlements in the province of Lusitania, most especially Portuguese Estremadura and the south of Portugal. In Northern Portugal, and according to the current knowledge, wine-making started with Roman rule. Strabo notices that the indigenous peoples in Northern Portugal mostly consumed "zhytos" (a form of beer) and wine was rarely produced or consumed; the wine, of low production, was immediately consumed in family banquets, all ordelly sited and consuming by age and status, proving that wine was a fascination to them. Wines were then produced across the territory for both local consumption as well as export to Rome.
During the Reconquista in the 12th and 13th centuries, with the populating ("povoamento") of the conquered territories, areas due to religion the Arabs reduced wine production. During this period, some new varieties were added to the ancient ones, from Burgundy came the French varieties. And during the period of discoveries, Henry the Navigator brought to the newly discovered island of Madeira the Moscatel and Malvasia from the Greek Island of Crete. In the Reign of King Carlos, the "Região Demarcada do Vinho Verde" and the "Região Demarcada do Dão" among Colares, Carcavelos, Setúbal, and Madeira were created. In 1979, Bairrada was added and in 1980 the Algarve region (Lagoa, Lagos, Portimão, and Tavira) was finally demarcated. In 1998, the Alentejo region was demarked by the gathering several smaller demarked regions created in 1995.
Grapes.
Portugal has a large array of native varietals, producing an abundant variety of different wines. The wide array of Portuguese grape varietals contributes as significantly as the soil and climate to wine differentiation, producing distinctive wines from the Northern regions to Madeira Islands, and from Algarve to the Azores. In Portugal only some grape varietals or "castas" are authorized or endorsed in the Demarcated regions, such as:
Appellation system.
The "appellation" system of the Douro region was created nearly two hundred years before that of France, in order to protect its superior wines from inferior ones. The quality and great variety of wines in Portugal are due to noble castas, microclimates, soils and proper technology.
Official designations:
Wine regions.
Vinho Verde derived its name from the fact that the grapes used are 'green' meaning slightly under-ripe. Vinho Verde wines are now largely exported, and are the most exported Portuguese wines after the Port Wine. The most popular variety in Portugal and abroad are the white wines, but there are also red and more rarely rosé wines. A notable variety of Vinho Verde is Vinho Alvarinho which is a special variety of white Vinho Verde, the production of Alvarinho is restricted by EU law to a small sub-region of Monção, in the northern part of the Minho region in Portugal. It has more alcohol (11.5 to 13%) than the other varieties (8 to 11.5%).
Port.
Port wine vines need to grow in schist rich soil and require a specific micro-climate. It is produced through a unique vinification method. The red varietals are the most common. The wine is produced in the beautiful landscape of the Douro Valley in Alto Douro region, a region that is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. The wine is exported from the city of Porto, thus acquiring the name "Porto" (or "Port" in English-speaking countries). There are several varieties of Port wine: some of the most popular are the Tawny, White, Ruby, and Late Bottled Vintage (L.B.V.). Wine cellars where port wine is stored to mature can be visited all year around in order to get information about the history of Port Wine and the Douro region.
Moscatel wines.
Moscatel is a liqueurous wine from the Setúbal Peninsula. Although the region has produced wines since the dawn of nationality, it was in 1797 that the wines of Setúbal were first mentioned. There is another variety of Moscatel wine, the "Moscatel de Favaios", in the "Região Demarcada do Douro", it is made from a different "casta", and the "Galego" (white), while Moscatel Roxo is made upon a "casta" with the same name as the wine.
Export.
Wine has been one of the most noted Portuguese exports. The country is the seventh largest exporter of the product worldwide, by value.