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 12

Leme, Vinho Verde, Loureiro Alvarinho 2025 75cl £14.58

A beautifully aromatic Vinho Verde with vibrant citrus, stone fruits and orange blossom underpinned by a delicious mineral note leading to a long, lively finish

Red 13.5

Pegoes, Fontanario de Pegoes Red, Palmela 2024 75cl £12.65

A smooth and juicy wine with a lovely combination of lavender and herbs complemented by vanilla and chocolate on the palate

White 13

Pegoes, Adega de Pegoes Selected Harvest White, Peninsula de Setubal 2024 75cl £12.98

Waxy aromas of orange blossom are followed by a rich and opulent flavour of peach melba with a touch of ginger, creamy and elegant

White 12.5

Crasto Douro Superior White 2025 75cl £18.59

How do you make a white Burgundy lookalike out of obscure Portuguese grapes in the place most famous for Port wine? We have absolutely no idea, but through some strange alchemy, Crasto have done exactly this This is a seriously sumptuous bottle, and we highly recommend it

White 12

Crasto Douro White 2025 75cl £14.83

The chances are that you won't have heard of any of the grapes in this Portuguese white, but this lip-smacking blend of Gouveio, Roupeiro and Rabigato grapes is certainly worth discovering It's a wine made by the Quinta do Crasto, one of the best winemakers in the famous wine-making Douro Valley, in the north of Portugal This tantalising blend makes a very modern wine, with a crisp, fresh taste, flavours of citrus - look out for asparagus - and a lovely fresh-cut-grass scent Drink it on its own, or give your guests a glass or two and let its refreshing flavours match up with a goats' cheese salad, salmon risotto or grilled fish

White 13

Aveleda Loureiro Vinho Verde 2025 75cl £11.16

The Loureiro Vinho Verde is absolutely typical of the region, with light body, modest alcohol level and a suggestion of fizz It has bright, light aromas of lemongrass, green herbs, citrus zest and peach Loureiro is grown almost entirely on granite soils

Red 13.5

Quinta do Vallado, Douro, Vallado Tinto 2024 75cl £16.46

A concentrated and beautifully structured blend with mature red fruits, hints of violet and herbaceous nuances carrying through to a lingering finish

Red 14.5

Quinta da Plansel Selecta Reserva 2023 75cl £15.74

Dark garnet with floral notes reminiscent of violets and orange blossom Wild dark fruits with a hint of spice on the palate

Red 14.5

Crasto Touriga Franca 2019 75cl £50.21

Like Touriga Nacional, Franca is an emblematic variety of the Douro region, although it is usually part of a blend: wines made exclusively from it are extremely rare This is the newest addition to Crasto's single-variety wine collection, and it displays similar, suave, silky, succulent texture to the Touriga Nacional, with a more restrained, less extrovert personality It has similarly concentrated black and blue fruit character, while the floral and spice attributes are present as subtle seasonings There is nothing here to hinder immediate enjoyment, and yet it could also age beautifully

Red 14

Crasto Old Vines Reserva Half Bottle 2023 37.5cl £18.86

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

Red 14

Crasto Douro Red Half 2023 37.5cl £8.28

Opaque red in colour with aromas of red berry fruit and subtle oak On the palate it has a perfect balance of bright, juicy red fruit, with satisfying weight of texture and the merest suggestion of well-integrated oak on the finish A superbly well made, moreish wine to enjoy with hearty mushroom or lamb dishes, and it's also a contender for the title of Perfect Barbecue Red

White 12

Aveleda Solos de Xisto 2024 75cl £18.47

One of a fascinating pair of Alvarinho wines from Vinho Verde This is from vines grown exclusively on vineyards over schist (xisto) bedrock While true to Vinho Verde's overall fresh style, this is relatively rich-textured, complex and nuanced It has succulent flavours of ripe peach and apricot, with the tang of sherbet lemon Schist is a metamorphic rock that fractures easily, allowing the vine roots to penetrate deep into the ground, ensuring a steady supply of water Its dark colour means it absorbs the sun's heat and re-radiates it at night, giving a 'double-ripening' effect

Red 20

Crasto Quinta Do Crasto Tawny 75cl NV £34.85

Red 14

Crasto Flor de Crasto Red 2023 75cl £12.22

Bright purple in colour Expressive on the nose, showing fresh wild berry fruit well integrated with elegant floral notes The palate starts out attractive, evolving into a medium-bodied wine, with silky tannins This is a seductive wine, with a balanced, fresh finish

Red 20

Crasto LBV Port 2020 75cl £22.92

This late bottled Vintage shows brooding black cherry fruit with a huge cedary core A straightforward wine with a fine dark colour, ripe and mouth filling and rounded off by sweet finish

Red 13.5

Quinta do Vallado, Douro, Vallado Touriga Nacional 2022 75cl £32.60

Richly concentrated flavours of ripe red fruits are layered with balsamic notes of oak, along with hints of violet The palate is beautifully balanced with ripe, rounded tannins