86 Port anD the Douro
Gouveio
Long thought to be the same as Madeira’s Verdelho, it has now been established that
Gouveio is a completely separate variety. There are a number of officially registered Gouveios,
including Gouveio Estimado, Gouveio Real, Gouveio Roxo (purple) and Gouveio Preto
(black), which suggests that it is fairly unstable. Gouveio produces aromatic wines with
high levels of acidity. It is therefore favoured by winemakers for dry white Douro wines
and white Port but is hampered in the vineyard by low yields (1 to 1.5 kilos per vine) and
only represents about 7 per cent of the Douro’s white vine stock. Gouveio is mostly found
within old interplanted vineyards and is therefore rarely seen as a varietal. Gouveio Real,
which ostensibly has marginally higher acidity, is planted immediately south of the Douro
in Tavora-Varosa where it is used to make a base wine for espumante (sparkling wine).
Moscatel Galego Branco
There are nearly as many different names for Moscatel (Muscat) in Portugal as there are for
Malvasia. Villa Maior names four that were growing in the Douro: Moscatel Branco, Moscatel
de Jesus, Moscatel Roxo and Moscatel Preto (the latter two being purple and black respectively).
Moscatel Galego Branco (also known by synonym of Moscatel de Bago Miúdo) is none other
than Muscat à Petit Grains. This is much the best and most refined variety of Muscat (used for
Muscat de Baumes de Venise), and with improvements in winemaking it is now being given the
chance to shine. It is mostly planted on the north side of the Douro around the town of Favaios
where it makes a fortified wine named Moscatel de Favaios (see page 229) or may be used as a
component in white or (very occasionally) tawny Port.
Viosinho
Considered to be the best of the indigenous white grapes, this low-yielding variety is capable
of producing some high-quality wines. It was ignored until fairly recently and is still mostly
found in old mixed vineyards. According to João Nicolau de Almeida, who has planted
Viosinho at Quinta dos Bons Ares, its only real drawback is a lack of acidity and it therefore
performs best at high altitudes. With yields as low as 1–1.5 kilos per vine, Viosinho is one
of the few white varieties that is currently undergoing a programme of clonal selection. It is
a very promising grape variety for white Douro wines.
arinto
Known in the neighbouring Vinho Verde region as Padernã, Arinto is not nearly as highly
regarded in the Douro as it is in the south of Portugal where it produces fresh, steely, dry
white wines. However, given its ability to hang on to natural acidity whatever the weather,
Arinto is potentially a very interesting variety for planting in warmer parts of the region.
Fernão Pires
Portugal’s most planted white grape, with nearly 17,000 hectares planted over the length
and breadth of the country. One of the most adaptable varieties, Fernão Pires grows in the