Estremadura Wines

Exquisite Portuguese wines from the Estremadura region

The nine DOC regions in Estremadura such as Alenquer and Carcavelos are known to wine connoisseurs far beyond Portugal's borders. Since 2009 the wine region is also known as Lisboa. With its very good light white wines and fruity red wines, Estremadura has a lot to offer newcomers and wine connoisseurs alike. 

Location, climate and soil

Portugal's largest wine-growing region in terms of area, it comprises eleven individual wine regions, located to the west and north of the country's capital Lisbon. All areas are relatively close to the coast and are exposed to the influences of the Atlantic Ocean. Three areas - the Lourinhã DOC, the Colares DOC and the Carcavelos DOC - are located directly on the sea. 

The Colares DOC and the Carcavelos DOC are among the most famous and traditional wine regions of the country. In fact, however, the production here is rather declining. This is mainly due to the competition with other forms of land use in these areas, which are not only attractive for wine growing.

Atlantic winds temper the climate so that winters are not excessively cold and summers are not excessively hot. The sea air and numerous rivers in the region provide sufficient humidity for wine growing. The soils are dominated by medium-heavy, loamy soils with varying degrees of limestone. 

The quality system for wines from Estremadura

For Estremadura wine, the Portuguese quality grading system is used. It knows the quality levels DOC, IPR and VR.

DOC ( Denominação de Origem Controlada): DOC wines are quality wines for geographically precisely defined growing areas with prescribed soil characteristics, grape varieties and production methods. All the older wine-growing regions in Estremadura enjoy this prestigious status. Equivalents in other countries are for example DO (Spain) and AOC (France)

IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada): IPR wines are best understood as candidates for DOC status, which still lack the internationally recognised distinctiveness. The classification is comparable to the French VDQS.

VR (Vinho Regional): VR wines are table wines with a designation of origin and at least 85% of them must be made from the grape varieties prescribed for a region. 

Red and white grape varieties in Estremadura

Estremadura wine is made from a variety of autochthonous and international grape varieties. The indigenous red varieties include Camarate, Ramisco, Castelão and Touriga Nacional. The Spanish varieties Tempranillo and Garnacha are also very popular. There are also vineyards with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Among the native white varieties, Fernão Pires and Seara Nova are strongly represented in Estremadura. The Spanish Cayetana Blanca and Chardonnay are also cultivated. 

Wines from Estremadura at VINELLO

A delicious red wine, which is also good to start with, is the Portada Tinto Medium Sweet from the DFJ Vinhos winery. The cuvée combines Tinta Roriz, Caladoc, Castelão, Alicante Bouschet and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to create a smooth pleasure with a full-bodied fruity aroma. 

The Galodoro Tinto from Castelão, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional is a product of the winery Casa Santos Lima. It is ideal for lovers of fruity, dry red wine. Notes of berries, spices and liquorice make this wine a good choice for evenings by the fireplace, for a romantic dinner or a relaxing weekend. 

Those who expect soft tannins and a complex bouquet from their red wine should taste the Vinho Tinto from Quinta da Aveleda. Besides the solo pleasure it is also excellent as a table wine. The red wine can be enjoyed with festive roast duck as well as with delicious fish dishes. 

The Vale Perdido Tinto Lisboa VR of the Casa Santos Lima Winery is a delightful cuvée from Camarate, Castelão, Shiraz, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira Preta. Wild berries and plum aromas, restrained tannins and oak wood nuances make this wine ideal as an accompaniment to strong beef and pork dishes. 

How large is the area under vines in Estremadura?

There are 60,000 hectares of vineyards available for viticulture in Estremadura. This corresponds to around a quarter of the total area under vines in Portugal.

What is the Lisboa VR?

Lisboa VR used to be called Estremadura VR. The abbreviation stands for Vinho Regional and roughly corresponds to country wines. The term covers the entire region and has led to confusion with the Spanish wine region Extremadura. For this reason the renaming took place in 2009. 

What are the DOC wines from Estremadura?

The following nine wine regions in Estremadura are classified as DOC 

• Alenquer
• Arruda
• Bucelas
• Carcavelos
• Cartaxo
• Colares
• Lourinhã
• Óbidos
• Torres Vedras

Order Estremadura wines online at VINELLO

Would you like to create your own discovery tour of Extremadura? Just browse through our selection - VINELLO has many wonderful classics and exciting new discoveries in its programme. Discover the variety of wines and benefit from our sommelier advice. Secure purchasing and guaranteed prompt delivery ensure that your enjoyment journey can begin quickly and takes you straight to the wine pleasure.