Portuguese White Wine

There are many reasons why Portugal’s white wines are special, but the biggest are the diversity of wines available—many of which are totally unique to Portugal—and the extremely high quality to price ratio of the country's white bottlings.

With around 250 indigenous varieties and several internationally beloved wine grapes grown nationwide, Portugal produces an overwhelming diversity of wines. Some of the most important and prolific Portuguese white wine grapes to know are Arinto, Bical, ,Verdelho, Loureiro, Alvarinho (known as Albariño in Spain) and Fernão Pires (also known as Maria Gomes).

Both sweet white wines and dry white wines are made in Portugal, but most table wines you’ll come across are dry. Some sweet, dessert whites labeled ‘Late Harvest’ are produced across the country, but Portugal's sweet wines are most often its fortified wines, like Port, Madeira, Moscatel de Setúbal and Caracvelos—all of which are made with, or can be made with, white wine grapes. In the Azores islands, a few white table wines are made in dry, semi-dry and sweet styles, primarily from Arinto do Açores, Terrantez do Pico and Verdelho grapes, but not many are available in North America.

The “best” Portuguese white will always be a matter of personal taste, so the first thing to do is figure out what white wine qualities you want from your bottle. Once you’ve got that sorted, take a look at the wine’s label. That’s where you might see the producer’s name and/or find clues about the wine’s regionality, grapes, aging and wine style. Or take the easy route, and find a good white wine from Portugal by purchasing it from a source you trust, like wsjwine.com.

When matching wine and food, a wine’s characteristics matter much more than where it was made. ​​There isn’t one single food (or category of foods) that pairs especially well with Portuguese whites. Instead, think about matching your Portuguese white wine’s flavors and overall style. Generally, high-acid, crisp white wines (like those from Vinho Verde) work well with seafood, chicken cooked simply and vegetable-based dishes. More rounded, medium-weight whites (like those from the country’s interior), meanwhile) may be better alongside heartier poultry preparations, creamy soups or pastas, or more robust root vegetables.