Portuguese wine classification

Quality Categories:

Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) This is the top tier. Equivalent French AOC, Italian DOC and Spanish DO. It has expanded considerably in recent years as newer regions make the grade up from IPR, with defined geographical limits, maximum yields, recommended and permitted grape varieties and minimum alcohol levels. Sometimes there are minimum ageing requirements as well.

Indicação de Província Regulamentada (IPR) Intermediate category of regions. Serving its five – year probationary period before it is acceptance (or rejection) by the authorities. Most have now been promoted DOC. Only 4 of them remain: Lafões, and the Azores IPRs of Biscoitos, Pico and Graciosa.

Vinho de Qualidade Produzido em Região Determinada (VQPRD); Labels very occasionally still use this group term for DOCs and IPRs. You are more likely to meet the sweet and sparkling version: Vinho Licoroso de Qualidade Produzido em Região Determinada (VLQPRD); Quality sweet fortified wines. Vinho Espumante de Qualidade Produzido em Região Determinada (VEQPRD); Quality sparkling wines. Vinho Frisante de Qualidade Produzido em Região Determinada (VFQPRD); Quality semi-sparkling wines.

Vinho Regional (VR); Middle tier of the wine hierarchy, roughly equivalent to French vin de pays. This is an increasingly important category, particularly in the south where wines are often made from grapes grown over a wide area. The regulations are less stringent than for DOCs, allowing greater flexibility in choice of grape variety, vinification and ageing. Many producers choose to make VR rather than DOC because of this flexibility, using grapes or methods not traditional in their area, and sometimes, they feel, thereby maximising their area’s potential. Some label their wines as VR even though they obey the local rules.

Vinho de Mesa; the most basic and undistinguished category, table wine, is commercially important as so much off-dry to medium-dry rosé is exported under this label. One of Portugal’s best red wines, Dado, is a Vinho de Mesa, unclassified because it’s a cross-dresser, a blend of Dão and Douro.