Portuguese Wine

Portuguese Wines from Great Wines Direct

Portuguese wine has long been a staple on supermarket shelves and has also been around for centuries having been introduced to the region by some of the most ancient civilisations like the Greeks, Carthaginians, Phoenicians and Romans.

During the time of the Roman Empire, Portugal had first begun exporting wines to Rome, although the modern wine export industry began in 1703 following the Methuen Treaty.

It was as a result of this treaty and the subsequent wine trade with England that many different varieties of wine began to be cultivated here. Today, there are two UNESCO protected wine producing regions in Portugal – the Pico Island region and the Douro Valley region. There are many local kinds of wines, all with their own distinctive personalities.

For many years, wine has been one of Portugal's most noteworthy exports, and today it is the 7th biggest wine exporter in the world in terms of value.

Its Vinho Verde region is well known and is located in the country's north west area. It took its name from the fact that the grapes used to make wine in this region are green, or under-ripe. Today, wines from this region are the most exported of all Portuguese wines following Port. White wines are most popular, however Portugal also produces some good reds and, occasionally, roses. The Vinho Alvarinho is one especially notable variety with a higher alcohol content which can only be produced under EU law in one small Monaco sub region.

While once thought of as bitter tasting, Douro wines come from the region that is best known for its port wines. However, they are now becoming more popular thanks to their similar traits to the port that is cultivated nearby.

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White 13.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, Pulga 2023 75cl £48.85

A complex wine, seamlessly blending the refreshing touch found in Romaneira's white wines with a deep, rich flavour and a classy structure

Red 15

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, Reserva Red 2020 75cl £58.38

Intense and well structured, this wine is distinguised by its complexity derived from the old vines of the traditional Douro varieties on the estate

Red 15

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, 'Tres Parcelas', Touriga Nacional 2020 75cl £42.83

Expressive aromas of wild berries and violets are complemented by subtle peppery, herbal and chocolate notes, supporting a sturdy, robust character

Red 14

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, 'Liceiras' Tinto Cao 2020 75cl £35.59

This Tinto Cao red wine from Romaneira is a fine example of this grape variety exhibiting a bouquet of dark berries with subtle spice and oak hints, textured and graceful on the palate

Red 15

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, Mirante, Petit Verdot 2020 75cl £36.61

Intense with notes of ink and wild berries accompanied by spices leading to robust and complex palate showing notes of graphite and dark fruit

Red 14.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, 'Sino' 2021 75cl £22.56

Fresh and elegant with seductive fruit, balanced and engaging with soft tannins, characteristic of this wine, which express the beauty of the Quinta da Romaneira's wild flora

Red 14.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, 'Dona Clara' 2020 75cl £32.46

This Dona Clara is a fresh and balanced wine, with intense and expressive fruit, a wild floral character and a lovely texture with hints of dark chocolate

Red 19.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, 10 Year Old Tawny 75cl £33.62

A 10 year old aged tawny characterised by its nutty and caramelised fruit aromas, rich yet delicate and smooth on the palate

Red 19.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, Colheita Tawny 2007 75cl £62.65

Spicy and raisiny notes together with toasted almond and some citrus combined with a velvety texture, delicate and refined

Red 19.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, LBV Unfiltered 2019 75cl £28.44

Delicate and charming with aromatic notes of spice, wild berries and violets, elegant and velvety

Red 19.5

Quinta da Romaneira, Douro, Vintage 2022 75cl £62.65

Full of personality this exceptional wine combines great elegance with a palate full of pure fruit flavours, complemented by deliciously fleshy, velvety tannins

Red 14

Quinta Do Crasto Douro Old Vines Reserva 2022 75cl | Great Wines Direct

Quinta Do Crasto Douro Old Vines Reserva 2022 75cl £28.26

Hugely complex, this wine has concentrated aromas and flavours, married to wonderful freshness It is lively and juicy - like biting into a just-ripe cherry that bursts in your mouth - and yet is far from straighforward, with intriguing nuances of spices, Mediterranean herbs, olives and well-integrated oak This is irresistible now - and even better if you decant it first - but if you can, keep some bottles back for 257or even 10 years, as it has both the guts and the balance to gain even more complexity with time

White 12.5

Herdade do Rocim, Alentejano, 'Mariana' White 2024 75cl £13.42

A richly flavoured and aromatic wine with exuberant tropical and herbal notes complemented by a lovely citrus freshness on the zesty finish

Red 13

Artolas Vinho Tinto 2023 75cl £8.17

"Bright ruby colour with a mature bouquet Red cherries, plums and spice abound from this medium bodied beauty This would be great with a light mid-week supper or perfect for quaffing at a party If Great Western Wine 'did plonk';Superb quality, value and a great all-rounder! The perfect mid-week wine"" - Patrick Goudge, Private Client Sales "

Red 11

Cintila Red, Peninsula de Setubal 2024 75cl £9.55

A juicy, plummy and vanilla wine, soft and easy-drinking

Red 14.5

Quinta Do Crasto Superior Syrah 2022 75cl £22.16

This wine takes its name from the location of the vineyard from which the grapes come: Douro Superior (Upper Douro) The grapes used to make this wine come from our property Quinta da Cabreira where we have 114 hectares of recently planted vines Crasto Superior Syrah shows well-integrated aromas, fresh berry fruit and notes of chocolate Engaging beginning, leading to a wine with great volume and a good structure made of fresh and finely-textured tannins The finish is perfectly balanced and lingering