Portuguese Red Wine: 10 Best Bottles, Wine Styles, Food Pairing

Made with indigenous grape varieties in prestigious regions like Douro Valley and Alentejo, Portuguese red wines are typically bold with seductive dark fruit flavor notes!

In this article, discover the 10 best Portuguese red wine bottles to buy and the popular red wine styles. We’ll also suggest some Portuguese red wine food pairings.

10 Best Portuguese Red Wine Bottles to Buy in 2023

Here are 10 of the most delicious Portuguese reds you can buy:

• 2018 Quinta de Tourais 'Lilipop' Tinto
• 2011 Muxagat Tinta Barroca
• 2014 Quinta do Pinto Estate Collection Tinto
• 2012 Comenda Grande Reserva
• 2013 Alves de Sousa Quinta da Oliveirinha Vinha Franca
• 2012 Anselmo Mendes Pardusco Private Tinto
• 2019 Herdade do Peso 'Trinca Bolotas'
• 2005 Vallegre Reserva Especial Vinhas Velhas
• 2013 Caves São Domingos 'Quinta de S. Lourenco' Single Estate Tinto
• 1970 Taylor Fladgate Very Old Single Harvest Port

1. 2018 Quinta de Tourais 'Lilipop' Tinto ($26)

This rich and intense Douro wine is produced from the Tinto Cão grape variety. It’s full-bodied and has notes of wild berries.

This Tinto Cão wine is aged for 12 months in old French oak barrels.

2. 2011 Muxagat Tinta Barroca ($13)

This Douro wine is made from the Tinta Barroca grape variety. It’s bold with a dominant red fruit flavor and hints of spice. 

The palate is velvety with subtle herbal undertones.

3. 2014 Quinta do Pinto Estate Collection Tinto ($12)

This rare red blend from Alenquer is rich and intense with medium tannin levels. The blend is produced from Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Merlot, and Syrah.

It reveals black fruit, oak, and chocolate flavors, followed by an intense blackberry, coconut, and spice aroma. 

4. 2012 Comenda Grande Reserva ($26)

This Portuguese red wine is from the Alentejo wine region. It’s a red blend made from the Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira grape varieties.

This bold, dry wine is fruity with medium tannin levels.

5. 2013 Alves de Sousa Quinta da Oliveirinha Vinha Franca ($61)

This delicious wine is produced from the Touriga Franca grape variety. It’s extremely dry and bold with strong black fruit and oaky flavour. 

6. 2012 Anselmo Mendes Pardusco Private Tinto ($25)

This delicious Portuguese red wine, made in the Vinho Verde wine region, is pale in color like Pinot Noir. 

The wine is bold with medium-high acidity. Its tasting notes include black fruit, oak, and red fruit.

7. 2019 Herdade do Peso 'Trinca Bolotas' ($11)

Here’s a delicious red wine from the Alentejo region. It’s a red blend made from the Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, and Aragonez grape varieties.

The wine has black and red fruit notes along with oak and chocolate hints. You will also notice a strong aroma of blackberry, fig, and prune.

8. 2005 Vallegre Reserva Especial Vinhas Velhas ($35)

This red blend from the Douro region is produced from Tinta Amarela, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão, and Tinta Francisca grape varieties.

The wine is dry, full-bodied, with medium acidity and silky tannins. It has a dominant black fruit flavor with dark chocolate and vanilla aftertaste.

9. 2013 Caves São Domingos 'Quinta de S. Lourenco' Single Estate Tinto ($18)

Here’s a dry red wine from the Bairrada region. It has a balanced flavor profile with vanilla, oak, and chocolate hints. The wine also features silky tannins and notes of ripe fruit, pepper, and balsamic.

10. 1970 Taylor Fladgate Very Old Single Harvest Port ($290)

This fortified wine from the Douro region has a strong caramel-rich palate. The Port wine is full-bodied and offers a long graceful finish.

The flavor profile includes delightful almonds, toffee, and raisin notes.

What are Portugal’s Most Popular Red Wine Styles?

Here are some of the key Portuguese red wines you should know as a wine enthusiast:

1. Port Wine

Port wine is the most popular Portuguese wine. It’s a full-bodied fortified wine from the Douro Valley (northern Portugal region.) 

Port wine is sweet and flavorful, with intense red fruit, caramel, and spice notes.

The wines are made from Portugal’s indigenous grape varieties, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and more.

2. Douro Red Wine

The Douro Valley wine region (named after the Douro river) produces some of the most scrumptious, full-bodied reds with a great balance of fruit and acidity. 

Some of the red grape varieties used to produce Douro wine include Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and Touriga Nacional.

3. Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde (meaning green wine) is known for its high acidity, low alcohol, and slight fizz.

Though Vinho Verde is mostly known for its white wine production, it also produces incredible red wines. The wines are usually a blend of native Portuguese grapes including Azal Tinto, Brancelho (Alvarelhão), Espadeiro, and Vinhão.

4. Alentejo

The Alentejo region red wines are produced in a similar manner to Spain’s reds since the region is along the Portuguese-Spanish border. 

This region produces full-bodied, age-worthy red blends. The blends bring out a deep, savory flavour profile with spice, tobacco, and leather notes. If you’re a fan of Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, the Alentejo wine will impress you. 

Some of the popular native grapes from Alentejo include Touriga Nacional, Aragonez (Tinta Roriz), Alfrocheiro Preto, and Trincadeira. 

5. Alenquer

Alenquer wines come from the hills around Lisbon. Since Lisbon is a popular tourist location, this wine region is quickly gaining popularity.

Red wines from Alenquer are rich in tannin and bursting with fruit flavors. They’re a blend of Portuguese grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Castelao, and Aragones.

6. Tinto Bairrada

The Beira Atlantico Portuguese wine region produces mainly Tinto Bairrada varietal red wines. 

These are typically full-bodied wines with high acidity. When aged, this red wine becomes quite fruity.

Portuguese Red Wine Food Pairings

Portuguese red wine goes beautifully with a range of dishes. 

Some popular Portuguese red wine pairing suggestions include savory meat dishes, stews, roasts, and desserts like cookies and sour cherry pie.

A Portuguese Red For All Wine Lovers!

If you want the best Port, grab a bottle from Douro Valley. If rich and fruity is your style, head to Alentejo. And for softer reds with refreshing acidity, try a wine from Dão!

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This advanced wine investment platform will help you buy, store, and sell fine red and white wine bottles from around the world.