Port anD the Douro 85white graPe varieties
codega (síria)
Now officially known as Síria, this grape is planted throughout the interior of Portugal
where it is known by a number of names including Roupeiro (Alentejo), Alva (Portalegre),
Alvadurão do Dão, Crato Branco (Algarve) and Codega (Douro). It also used to be known
by the name of Malvasia Grossa (‘fat malvasia’) and if this was not enough, Villa Maior cites
it as the Vermentino from Corsica. In the Douro Codega is the most planted variety and
accounts for about 6 per cent of the total vineyard area. Large quantities have traditionally
been planted in the Douro Superior. It is resistant to heat but sensitive to oidium and rot,
yields well (2 to 3 kilos per vine), and produces wine that is soft, flat and low in acidity
providing the basis for dry white Port. Apparently it is also a good table grape, which usually
infers that it is not a very promising wine grape.
Malvasia Fina
There seems to have been some confusion over the true identity of this grape which is
an authorised grape on Madeira (where it is known as Boal) and the second most widely
planted white variety in the Douro, amounting to about 4 per cent of the total vineyard
area. Much has been written about it. Rebello de Fonseca heaped praise on Malvasia Fina
saying ‘you can eat it, make raisins from it as well as wonderful wine. Among white grapes
only Moscatel is better’. Malvasia Fina is almost certainly identical to Arinto do Dão or
Assário planted in the Beiras. It is a notoriously unstable variety which readily mutates and
the quality of the wine varies greatly from one clone to another. Malvasia Fina produces
reasonably well (up to 2 kilos per vine) but is very susceptible to oidium and poor fruit set,
making yields extremely variable. With a soft, fat, vaguely honeyed character, the wine is
better than that produced by Codega but could hardly be described as ‘fine’. In the past this
grape used to be known as ‘Malvasia de Passa’ because of its tendency to shrivel and raisinise
on the vine.
Malvasia Rei
By no means ‘King’ of the grapes named ‘Malvasia’, Malvasia Rei accounts for around 3
per cent of the white varieties in the Douro. It is the same grape as Palomino in Spain and
produces huge quantities of bland wine.
Rabigato
The ‘cat’s tail’ grape is one of the better white grapes growing in the Douro, where it
accounts for around 3 per cent of the vineyard area, putting it in fourth place among the
white varieties. Named after the elongated shape of its bunches, Rabigato yields well (up to
3 kilos per vine), matures slowly and is capable of withstanding heat. However, it tends to
be planted at higher altitudes where it is favoured by winemakers for the fresh acidity that it
contributes to white Port as well as a smattering of white Douro wines.