That’s a pretty big statement, but I’m finding that it’s true; and, it’s almost become some sort of OCD project with me… “Portugal has more indigenous grape varieties than any other country in the world.”

“Surely I can find them all,” I thought. “Okay, I’ll take it on.”

First learning about Portuguese wines from Enoforum, in the Alentejo region of Portugal, I’ve become really inspired to learn as much as I can about Portuguese wines in general… Hence, the list. I’d like to find them all. (How long could it take?)

The point when I realized that I had a really long way to go came to me while reading *Andre Dominé’s Wine, 5th Edition. I read, “Portugal: Land of 500 Grape Varieties?” At that point, I had already found 140, and thought I was near the end of my search. Now I knew I had just begun.

About four hours later, I then only had 176 red and white combined… and still counting, as of June 10, 2010.

Andre writes (p.664)

Portugal is often described as the country with the greatest variety of grapes in the world–according to frequently quoted estimates, there are supposed to be around 500 of them. But because no one has ever counted them all and distinguished genuine varieties from regional synonyms, there has to be some doubt about this figure. Wine experts assume, though, that there are 250 to 300 genuine grape varieties.

So, even with my 176 I still have a long way to go, because some in my list below may be a regional synonym. In this list I only have one name for a variety, with synonyms in parenthesis (so I don’t trick myself)… Although, it’s going to make it harder to find a variety, when trying to compare. I’m going to be using “Control F” a lot, I can see that coming.

For a complete listing of Portugal’s DOC regions, click here. (I’ve already written about them.) Below is a quick snapshot, so reading these wines with a regional locations puts it slightly more into perspective for anyone else researching.

  • Rios de Minho ~ Vinho Verde DOC
  • Tras-os-Montes ~ Douro DOC, Porto DOC ~ More than 30 grape varieties are grown in the Douro for Port
  • Beiras ~ Bairrada DOC, Vinho do Dão DOC
  • Estremadura ~ Bucelas DOC, Carcavelos DOC, Colares DOC
  • Ribatejo ~ Ribatejo DOC
  • Alentejo ~ Portalegre DOC, Borba DOC, Redondo DOC, Reguengos DOC, Vidigueira DOC
  • Terras do Sado ~ Setúbal DOC
  • Algarve ~ Lagos DOC, Lagoa DOC, Portimão DOC, Tavira DOC
  • Madeira ~ Madeira DOC

Here’s my list, which I’ll continue to update as I find them, putting numbers down, too, so this list stays current.

Portuguese White Grape Varieties (Name ~ DOC Region)

  1. Algarve ~ Bucelas, Carcavelos
  2. Alvaraca ~ Douro
  3. Alvarinho ~ Monção, used for Vinho Verde (syn.. Cainho Branco)
  4. Antoã Vaz ~ Alentejo, Douro, Vidigueira
  5. Arinto ~ Bucelas (still and sparkling wines), Alentejo, Bairrada, Setúbal, Tejo, Carcavelos, Dão, Douro, Portalegre, Setúbal, Vinho Verde (syn. Paderná)
  6. Arinto de Dão
  7. Arinto Gordo
  8. Assario Branco ~ Dão, Alentejo
  9. Avesso ~ Vinho Verde (syn. Jaén Blanco)
  10. Azal Branco~ Vinho Verde, Douro
  11. Barcelo ~ Dão
  12. Batoca ~ Vinho Verde
  13. Bical ~ Dão, Bairrada
  14. Boais ~ Setúbal
  15. Boal ~ Carcavelos, Lagos, Madeira, Douro (five strains of this grape;  most famous ~ Boal in Madeira)
  16. Boal Branco
  17. Borrado das Moscas
  18. Brancelho (syn. Alvarlho)
  19. Branco Especial ~ Douro
  20. Branco sem Nome ~ Douro
  21. Branco Valente ~ Douro
  22. Bual
  23. Caramela ~ Douro
  24. Carao de Moca ~ Madeira
  25. Carrega Branco ~ Douro
  26. Casal ~ Minho
  27. Cercial ~ Porto, Douro, Dão, Bairrada
  28. Códega ~ (syn. Roupeiro)
  29. Codo
  30. Crato Branco ~ Lagoa, Portimão, Tavira
  31. Diagalves: Setúbal
  32. Donzelinho Branco ~ Porto, Douro
  33. Douradinha ~ Minho
  34. Dourado ~ Minho
  35. Encruzado ~ Dão
  36. Esgana Cão ~ Used as  blender all over Portugal (syn.. Sercial in Madeira)
  37. Fernão Pires ~ Douro, Setúbal, Alentejo, and other regions. (syn. “Maria Gomez” in Bairrada)
  38. Folgosão ~ Porto, Douro, Madeira
  39. Fonte Cal
  40. Formosa ~ Douro
  41. Galego Dourado ~ Carcavelos, Colares, Portalegre
  42. Gouveio ~ (syn. Verdelho)
  43. Jampal ~ Colares, Douro
  44. Lameiro ~ Minho
  45. Listrao ~ Douro, Madeira
  46. Loureiro ~ Vinho Verde
  47. Malvasia ~ Colares
  48. Malvasia Bianca ~ (syn. Malmsey)
  49. Malvasia Cândida ~ Madeira
  50. Malvasia Corada ~ Douro
  51. Malvasia Fina Boal ~ Used throughout Portugal, including for white ports
  52. Malvasia Real
  53. Malvasia Rei ~ Douro
  54. Manteúdo ~ Algarve, Portalegre, Redondo, Reguengos, Vidigueira,Alentejo
  55. Moscatel Galego Branco ~ Porto, Douro
  56. Moscatel Graúdo ~ Algarve (syn. Moscatel de Setúbal, Muscat d’Alexdrandrie)
  57. Pederna ~ Douro
  58. Perrum ~ Alentejo, Algarve, Borba, Reguengos, Vidigueira (syn.. Palomino)
  59. Pintosa ~ Minho
  60. Praça ~ Douro
  61. Rabigato ~ Grown all over Portugal, Bairrada, Bucelas, Alentejo, Algarve (syn. Rabo d´Ovelha)
  62. Rabo de Ovelha ~ Bairrada, Borba, Bucelas, Redondo, Reguengos, Setúbal, Vidigueira
  63. Ratinho ~ Carcavelos
  64. Roupeiro ~ Douro, Algarve, Borba, Portalegre, Redondo, Reguengos, Setúbal, Vidigueira (syn. Codéga)
  65. Sao Saul ~ Douro
  66. Sarigo ~ Douro
  67. Samarrinho ~ Porto, Douro
  68. Sémillon ~ Porto, Douro
  69. Tália ~ Setúbal (syn. Ugni blanc)
  70. Tamarêz ~ Borba, Redondo, Setúbal
  71. Terrantez
  72. Touriga Branca ~ Douro
  73. Trajadura ~ Vinhos Verde
  74. Trincadeira das Pratas (syn. Tmarez d’Azeitao)
  75. Uva Cão ~ Dão
  76. Verdelho ~ Madeira (syn. Gouveio), all of Portugal
  77. Viosinho ~ Douro, used in white ports
  78. Vital ~ Douro, Porto

Portuguese Red Grapes Varieties (Name ~ Region)

  1. Abundante ~ Alentejo
  2. Alfrocheiro Preto ~ Dão main grape, Bairrada, Vidigueira
  3. Alicante Bouschet ~ Alentejo, Algarve
  4. Alvarelhão ~ Douro, Setúbal
  5. Amaral ~
  6. Aramont ~ Douro
  7. Azal Tinto ~ Vinho Verde, Minho
  8. Baga ~ (syn. Poelrinha, Ribatejo)
  9. Baga Trincadeira ~ Bairrada main grape; also used in Alentejo and Ribatejo.
  10. Barrete de Padre ~ Madeira
  11. Bastardo ~ Douro, Madeira, Setúbal
  12. Borraçal ~ Minho
  13. Borrado das Moscas: Dão
  14. Brancelho
  15. Callabriga ~ Dão, Duro, Alentejo
  16. Camarate ~ Bairrada
  17. Canica ~ Madeira
  18. Carinhana ~ Douro
  19. Carrega Tinto ~ Douro
  20. Casculho ~ Douro
  21. Castelão Nacional
  22. Codo
  23. Complexa ~ Madeira
  24. Concieira ~ Douro
  25. Cornifesto ~ Douro
  26. Donzelinho Tinto ~ Douro
  27. Duas Quintas ~ Douro
  28. Encruzado ~ Dão
  29. Espadeiro ~ Minho, Vinho Verde, Bairrada, Carcavelos
  30. Ferral ~ Madeira
  31. Gonçalo Pires ~ Douro
  32. Gouveio
  33. Grand Noir
  34. Grangeal ~ Douro
  35. Jacquet ~ Madeira
  36. Jaén ~ Bairrada, Dão
  37. Jaén e Rufete ~ Dão
  38. Labrusco ~ Minho
  39. Malvasia Cândida Roxa ~ Madeira
  40. Malvasia Preta ~ Porto, Douro
  41. Maria Gomes ~ Bairrada, Ribatejo (syn. Fernão Pires, Fernaopires)
  42. Marufo ~ Douro (syn. Mourisco Tinto)
  43. Messias Reserva ~ Dão
  44. Monvedro
  45. Moreto ~ Widely grown in Portugal, not used as single varietal wine
  46. Moscatel Roxo ~ Setúbal ( syn. Moscatel Galego Roxo )
  47. Motágua
  48. Mourisco ~ Douro, Setúbal
  49. Negra Mole ~ Algarve, Carcavelos, Colares, Lagoa, Lagos, Madeira, Portimão, Tavira
  50. Nevoeira ~ Douro
  51. Ovelha
  52. Padeiro ~ Vinho Verde
  53. Patorra ~ Douro
  54. Pedral ~ Vinho Verde
  55. Periquitá ~ Alentejo, Algarve (syn.Mortágua), Borba, Lagoa, Lagos, Portalegre, Portimão, Redondo, Reguengos, Tavira, Vidigueira, Douro
  56. Preto Martinho ~ Carcavelos, Douro
  57. Preto Mortagua ~ Dão
  58. Rabo de Anho ~ Vinho Verde
  59. Ramisco ~ Colares region
  60. Rufete ~ Dão, Douro
  61. Samarim ~ Minho
  62. Seara Nova
  63. Sevilhão ~ Douro
  64. Sousão ~ Douro
  65. Terrantez ~ Madeira (syn. Folgasã)
  66. Tinta Aguiar ~ Douro
  67. Tinta Barroca ~ Douro, one of the blenders for most ports
  68. Tinta Caiada ~ Alentejo
  69. Tinta Cão ~ Douro
  70. Tinta Carvalha ~ Douro
  71. Tinta da Barca ~ Douro
  72. Tinta Francisca ~ Douro
  73. Tinta Lameira ~ Douro
  74. Tinta Mesquita ~ Douro
  75. Tinta Miúda ~ Lisboa, Tejo (syn. Graciano)
  76. Tinta Negra Mole ~ Madeira
  77. Tinta Pereora ~ Douro
  78. Tinta Pinheira ~ Bairrada, Dão
  79. Tinta Pomar ~ Douro
  80. Tinta Roriz ~ (Tempranillo in Spain) Port making and Alentejo (syn. ” Aragonês); Dão and Douro for table wines, Algarve, Dão, Douro, Setúbal
  81. Tinta Roseira ~ Douro
  82. Tinta Varejoa ~ Douro
  83. Tinto Martins ~ Douro
  84. Touriga Fêmea ~ Douro
  85. Touriga Franca ~ Douro
  86. Touriga Francesa ~ Douro, Dão (over 20% of all plantings) (syn. Touriga Franca, Perionto)
  87. Touriga Nacional ~ Douro Valley and Dão for port wines, Alentejo, Bairrada
  88. Trincadeira ~ Carcavelos, Colares, Portalegre, Alentejo, Vidigueira, Douro, Vinho Verde (syn. Tinta Amarela, Trincadeira Preta, Castelão Frances)
  89. Trincadeira Toreiro
  90. Triunfo ~ Madeira, Algarve
  91. Vale do Meaon ~  Douro
  92. Vinhão ~ Vinho Verde, Douro

Sources to Date

  1. Catavino.net
  2. The Oxford Companion to Wine, edited by Jancis Robinson, Second Edition ~ ISBN 0-19-866236-X
  3. Parker’s Wine Buying Guide, 6th Edition ~ ISBN 00-7432-2932-0
  4. The Global Encyclopedia of Wine, 378-399 ~ ISBN 1-74048-031-7
  5. The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by Tom Stevenson, pg 373-376 ~ ISBN 0-7894-8039-5
  6. *Wine, Andre Domine, 5th Edition ~ ISBN 3-8331-1032-5
  7. Wine Appreciation by Richard P. Vine ~ ISBN 0-8160-1148-6
  8. Wine Bible, Karen MacNeil ~ ISBN 1-56305-434-5
  9. Wapedia.mobi
  10. Wikipedia

Rabo de Ovelha

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