Colares (wine region)

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DOC Colares

Colares is the name of a DOC ( Denominação de Origem Controlada ), since 2011 DOP ( Denominação de Origem Protegida ) in Portugal . The name refers to the district of Colares , in which the wine-growing region is primarily located.

One red and one white dry DOC / DOP wine as well as a number of wines are produced in the region that carry the DO ( Vinho DO Colares ) seal of origin, the Vinho regional Lisboa designation of origin or one of the more recent successors IGP ( Indicação Geográfica Protegida ) or IG ( Indicação Geográfica ) wear.

The best locations are directly behind the sand dunes on the Atlantic, while in the hinterland mainly the by-wines required for blending are produced. Colares has mainly clay and loam soils covered by a deep layer of sand ; Due to the sandy surface, it was not reached by the phylloxera disaster , so that most of the vines are rootless .

Development and expansion

Viticulture here goes back to King D. Afonso III. who, with the town charter for Colares in 1255, also awarded the surrounding area Reguengo de Colares and initiated the cultivation of French vines. Today's Colares DOC, founded in 1907, was once very important and in the thirties of the last century still comprised over 1500 hectares of vineyards.

Today, like other wine regions in the greater Lisbon area, it has sunk to almost insignificance and only has less than 20 hectares of vineyards. The reasons for this drastic decline lie in the increasing urbanization and the associated land speculation, which led to large-scale reallocations of land that was previously used for agriculture. The generally difficult cultivation conditions as well as a change in wine taste also justified this decline.

The area is located on the Atlantic coast in the historic province of Estremadura , mainly in the eponymous district of Colares, and extends from Cabo da Roca in the south north to Magoito , south of Ericeira . In the hinterland, the wine-growing region extends to about Sintra .

Location and climate

The wine-growing area is located directly on the Atlantic. Most of the vineyards are no more than 1–2 km from the ocean. As a result of this location, the vines are exposed to violent winds; they are therefore drawn creeping or in a bush shape. In addition, the very small, sandy vineyards are protected with reed fences against drifting sand and the often difficult weather conditions. Under the sand layer ( chão de areia ), usually 50–80 centimeters deep, lies a clay-loam layer ( chão rijo ), in which the vines take root. The relatively cool Atlantic softens the very hot summer temperatures in the interior, so that hot days over 30 ° C are rare. In winter the ocean acts as a heat store. There is sufficient rain in the autumn and winter months; Autumn storms that set in too early with heavy rain can lead to significant yield losses and, in extreme cases, to the loss of an entire harvest.

Grape varieties and wine

Azulejo exterior facade of the Adega Regional de Colares , the traditional Colares cooperative winery

Two main types of DOC wines are permitted in the appellation: the red Ramisco and the white Malvasia de Colares . DOC wines must consist of 80% of one of the two types. The red varieties Parreira Matias , Molar , Castelão , Tinta Roriz and Tinta Miuda as well as the white Galego Dourado , Fernão Pires , Jampal , Arinto , Vital and various Malvasia are available as blending partners . The hectare yields are limited to 50 hectoliters for the red and 70 hectoliters for the white varieties, but these upper limits are far from being reached.

The Ramisco DOC is an idiosyncratic wine with an extraordinarily high aging potential. Young it is aggressive, acidic and very tannic, but aged sufficiently it becomes an elegant, full-bodied and round, rather low-alcohol red wine of mostly reddish-brown color. It only reaches its best drinking maturity after a maturation period of around 10 years. Malvasia de Colares was one of the best of the many species of Malvasia. The floral-fruity, mineral wine made from it has a harmonious acidity and a moderate alcohol content of around 12 percent by volume . Although it also has a certain aging potential, it should be drunk young.

In addition to a cooperative winery, which for a long time had almost a monopoly on Colares wines, there are also three private wineries.

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