Portuguese wine

Portugal has 14 wine regions, each with its own microclimate and winemaking traditions. Key Portuguese wine regions include:

• Douro Valley: The Douro Valley is famous for its Port wine, ranking in styles from rich Vintage Ports to aged Tawny Ports, with flavours of dried fruits, spices and nuts. It’s also home to the native red Touriga Nacional and white Rabigato grapes.
• Alentejo: Alentejo is the heartland of Portugal’s red wine production. Its rich, full-bodied red wines result from the region’s vast plains and Mediterranean climate. The region is also gaining recognition for its aromatic, elegant white wines.
• Dão: This central region is celebrated for its elegant, age-worthy red wines made from Touriga Nacional grapes. It also makes vibrant, deep whites from native Encruzado grapes.
• Vinho Verde: This region in the northwest of the country gives its name (which means 'green wine' in Portuguese) to the aromatic, slightly fizzy white wines created here. The cool and wet climate allows grapes such as Alvarinho and Loureiro to thrive.
• Bairrada: This coastal region is known for its rich, age-worthy red wines made from the native Baga grape and elegant, complex sparkling wines – espumantes.
• Lisboa: Also known as Estremadura, Lisboa is home to 30 grape varieties, from the crisp Arinto to the robust Tinta Roriz – also known as Tempranillo. This large, coastal wine region has a maritime climate, which helps it create fruity and aromatic wines.

Popular Portuguese Reds

Tinta Roriz/Tempranillo: Tinta Roriz is a versatile grape used in both blends and single-varietal wines. Widely planted throughout Portugal, Tinta Roriz wines are medium-to-full-bodied and smooth, with flavours of cherry, plum and blackberry, plus hints of leather, tobacco and spices. Even when young, these wines can be enjoyed alongside hearty dishes such as roast lamb and Beef Wellington.

Touriga Nacional: Considered a national treasure, this aromatic wine variety is a vital component of Port, as well as robust red wines. With flavours of black fruits, spice and violet, this bold wine is equally elegant and lush, and pairs with rich, fatty foods such as sirloin steak.

Popular Portuguese Whites

Vinho Verde: A refreshing wine from the northwest that’s perfectly paired with the summertime and lightly fried seafood. Vinhos Verdes are known for their tart acidity, light bubbles and vibrant grapefruit, gooseberry, white melon and lime blossom flavours.

Alvarinho: Known for its lively acidity and flavours of lemon zest and grapefruit with a touch of salinity, Alvarinho (also known as Albariño in Spain) can be enjoyed with dishes featuring white fish, white meats and soft cheeses such as burrata and salty feta.

Popular Portuguese Fortified Wines

Port: Made exclusively in the Douro Valley, Port wine has a diverse range of flavours and sweetness, meaning there’s a Port for every taste. Port wine styles range from the rich, full-bodied Vintage Port to the sweet, nut-and-caramel Tawny Port.

Madeira: A unique ageing process gives Madeira its distinct flavours of roasted nuts, orange peel and caramel. Under the European Union protected designation of origin, fortified wines labelled as Madeira can only be made on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

The day of your delivery will depend on which option you’ve chosen at checkout.  

• For a standard delivery, we will deliver your order in three to five working days. Delivery to the Scottish Highlands, some other areas of Scotland, Northern Ireland and offshore islands can take an extra few days.
• Usual delivery times are between 07.00 and 21.00.
• You can select Next-day or Named-day delivery at checkout – but do bear in mind we don’t deliver on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

For the best experience we recommend you subscribe to our Unlimited service. A one-off payment of £29.99 entitles you to free delivery for a year – including free Next-day delivery. There’s no minimum order – you’ll get free delivery even on a single bottle. And you can get delivery to multiple addresses, so it’s perfect for gifting!

We want you to be entirely happy with your chosen wine, so we offer an unbeatable money-back guarantee on every single bottle – even wines you buy on sale.

No quibbles. No questions. Just your 100% satisfaction.

If you aren't happy for any reason, get in touch and we’ll arrange to collect your bottle within 48 hours.

Yes! It’s quick and easy to join our Wine Club.

You’ll start discovering new wines for less right away – and once you’re in you can easily tailor your subscription to your needs.

Want to skip or delay a delivery? No problem. Fancy a different style? We’ve a wide range to choose from. Want to swap in some of your favourite wines? It’s easy to do online. We’ll send a reminder email the week before delivery so you’ll have time to make any changes you like.

Learn more about laithwaites wine subscriptions