Portugal's finest black grape. Small, thick-skinned berries deliver intensity in colour, aroma and tannin alike. Floral notes of violet and bergamot set it apart. It gives Port its backbone and, increasingly, leads the dry reds of the Douro.
Thought to originate in the Douro Valley and Dão. Its very low yields saw plantings fall by the mid-20th century, until Portuguese research institutes selected improved clones in the 1980s and revived it. It is now legally recognised among the principal Port varieties.
Best known as a Port grape, yet its dry reds are outstanding. Violet perfume sits alongside firm tannin, giving it a character quite unlike Cabernet. If you try one Portuguese wine, start here.