Red Grape Varieties: Icons and Global Classics

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Red grapes are not exclusively used to produce wine; their consumption also offers many health benefits, especially for skin and hair care. Red varieties contain fewer calories than white varieties and are rich in vitamins A, C, B6, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, folate and magnesium.

 

Image: SAPO Lifestyle

 

The best-known red grape varieties in Portugal

 

TOURIGA FRANCA

Touriga Franca produces dense, firm, rich and aromatic wines, with floral and blackberry notes. It is one of the five grape varieties used in the production of the famous Port Wine and is also used in many Douro wines, being the most planted grape in the Douro Valley.

Regions where it is most planted: Porto e Douro, Bairrada, Alentejo and Península de Setúbal.

 

TINTA RORIZ

The Tinta Roriz variety gives rise to fine, elegant wines with aromas of red fruits, plums and blackberries. It has great ageing potential. Like Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz is one of the best grapes for producing Port Wine, and it is also very important in the Dão region.

In the Alentejo, it is known as Aragonês.

Regions where it is most planted: Porto e Douro and Dão.

 

TOURIGA NACIONAL

Touriga Nacional is one of the best-known Portuguese grape varieties worldwide. It produces firm and very deeply coloured red wines, with complex aromas and flavours reminiscent of ripe blackcurrants and raspberries. It has a northern origin but is now planted all over the country. It also has great ageing potential.

Regions where it is most planted: Dão, Porto e Douro, Bairrada, Alentejo and Tejo.

 

TRINCADEIRA

Trincadeira gives rise to wines with raspberry flavours, herbaceous notes and good acidity. It is planted throughout Portugal, especially in hot and dry areas.

In the Douro it is known as Tinta Amarela.

Regions where it is most planted: Alentejo, Tejo, Lisboa and Porto e Douro.

 

BAGA

The Baga variety gives rise to wines that gain complexity with age. In warmer years, Baga can produce denser wines with notes of cherries and apricots. The most important area for this variety is Bairrada; however, it is also planted in Beira Interior and Dão. It is also widely used as a base for sparkling wine.

Regions where it is most planted: Bairrada and Dão.

 

CASTELÃO

Castelão is the most widely planted red grape variety in southern Portugal. It gives rise to fine, firm and fruity wines, with raspberry aromas that evolve over time into cedar notes. It is on the plains of Palmela, on the Setúbal Peninsula, that this grape variety performs at its best.

Regions where it is most planted: Península de Setúbal, Tejo, Lisboa and Algarve.

 

The best-known red grape varieties in the world

 

TEMPRANILLO

This is one of the best-known grape varieties on the Iberian Peninsula and has Spanish origins. Tempranillo adapts easily to different climates and soils. This variety produces wines with high alcohol content, low acidity and great ageing potential, being very resistant to oxidation.

Origin – Spain.

 

SANGIOVESE

It produces wines with a good expression of fruit, herbaceous and spicy notes, as well as good acidity and structure. They pair well with grilled beef and firm cheeses such as provolone or parmesan.

Origin – Tuscany, Italy.

 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the best-known red grape varieties in the world and usually produces full-bodied wines with moderate acidity. Although its origins lie in the French region of Bordeaux, winemakers in California’s Napa Valley and the Coonawarra region in Australia also produce renowned Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

These wines have notes of blackcurrant and spices and also show a moderate tannin structure.

Origin – Bordeaux, France.

 

Image: Pingo Doce

 

PINOT NOIR

Pinot Noir belongs to the same family as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. This variety is associated with the Burgundy wine region in France. Due to differences in the terroir of the various villages in Burgundy, the wines differ in complexity.

This grape variety has become so popular worldwide that winemakers in northern Italy, Germany, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Oregon have also planted it.

Origin – Burgundy, France.

 

MERLOT

The Merlot variety produces full-bodied wines with soft tannins and moderate, sweet aromas. In warm climates or from overripe grapes, it shows black fruit (plum and blackberry), which can evolve into fruitcake and even chocolate. Grapes from moderate to cool climates produce wines with aromas of strawberry, cherry and currant and sometimes mint notes.

Within Bordeaux, the wine regions of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol stand out. Outside France, countries such as Italy, Chile and the United States also produce high-quality Merlot wines.

Origin – Bordeaux, France.

 

SYRAH

The Syrah variety is associated with the Rhône Valley in south-eastern France; however, it is now an international variety. In the New World, Syrah has become very popular in Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, California and the state of Washington. Although it is known as Syrah in France, in these New World markets it is known as Shiraz.

The wines produced from this variety are full-bodied and intensely flavoured. The most characteristic flavours are black fruits, violets and black olives, but over time earthy or even meaty notes tend to appear.

Origin – Rhône Valley, France.

 

Image: Vinhos da Península de Setúbal

 

MALBEC

Malbec wines from Argentina tend to be milder and less tannic than those from southwest France, where Malbec originates. In Argentina, Malbec’s main wine regions include Mendoza, La Rioja, San Juan and Catamarca.

Building on the success of Malbec in Argentina, Chilean winemakers in the Central Valley are also working to create high-quality Malbec wines.

Origin – France.

 

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