Portuguese wines

Some of the more famous Portuguese wines include:

Port. Is a fortified wine that is blended with grape brandy and is higher in alcohol, usually between 19 and 22 percent. Port can be very sweet, sweet, semi-dry or dry and is often served as a dessert wine. Port wine is typically aged for several years, often in barrels stored in cellars.

Vinho Verde ("Green" wine). This semi-sparkling wine is called "green" not because of its color, but due to the fact that it is consumed while the wine is still young, preferably within a year or two after its release. Vinho Verde is unique to Portugal and is not produced anywhere else in the world. Vinho Verdes in the U.S. are predominantly white wines, with medium alcohol content and citrusy palates and aromas.

Portuguese wines fall into one of 3 categories, and this is usually indicated on the front label:

Table Wines (Vinho de Mesa) are cheaper wines which usually include a diverse collection of grapes grown in many different regions. They often don't list the varietals or the year the wine was produced.

Regional Wines (Vinho Regional) are certified as to the region of Portugal where the grapes were grown. There are 11 wine regions in Portugal and a numbered stamp of certification should be visible on the back label for any certified Regional Wine.

Demarcated Wines (Denominação de Origem Controlada or DOC) have the highest wine certification in Portugal. DOC zones are more specific and strictly controlled. Similar to the Italian Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) classification. A numbered stamp of certification - with the words D.O.C. and the zone - should be on the back label.