So far, I have covered most of the top 10 wine producing countries in the world. With this post, I will cover #9 & 10, depending on which poll you Google. There are still several in the “second ten” worth mentioning, but I will not get to any of them for a while. Today, I will detail Portugal & South Africa. Portugal, of course, is most known for its Ports, but also produces several other good wines. South Africa, in the “wine world”, is most known for its Pinotage (I’ll explain below), but like Portugal also produces several other good wines. As always, I will be using my notes and the two reference books: World Atlas of Wine (WAoW) & the Oxford Companion to Wine (OCtW).
South Africa has 4 large wine areas with a total of over 20 distinct regions. Most are located on or very near the coast. The 2 best known are Stellenbosch & Paarl. Both are home to very good Cabernet Sauvignons and the BEST Pinotage (a combination of Pinot Noir & Cinsault). Also nearby, in the Costal Region is Constantina Ward, the Cape’s oldest wine region, most known for its Sauvignon Blancs & Bordeaux Blends. Another area worth mentioning is Cape South Coast. Contained within it are Walker Bay & Elgin Ward. Walker Bay is best known for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, while Elgin Ward is best known for its Sauv. Blancs and Chenin Blancs. If your local wine store, like Clinton Wine & Spirits, carries any South African wine, it’s usually a red from Stellenbosch or Paarl. Pinotage is definitely worth checking out!
Portugal, of course, is most known for its Ports, which come from the Douro Valley; a very steep, rocky, and generally inhospitable place to grow grapes. Ports generally come from one or more of 5 red grapes and are made in “Port Lodges” down the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia. Other regions worth mentioning include Vinho Verde, in the northwest, where a very good white from the Alvarinho grape comes from (like the Spanish Albarino). Just south of that is Dao, where the best Touriga Nacional red wine comes from, a somewhat Cab. Sauv. like grape. Further south is Lisboa, where a lot of good whites come from, especially wines made from the Fernao Pires grape. Finally, there is the island of Madeira, where the famous sweet wine comes from. Most are blends of several grape varietals and some are aged for 20+ years.
That should be enough for this one. Next week will be another Food & Wine pairing. Be sure to come back & check it out. Cheers!