Best Portuguese Alcoholic Beverage Types
Baga is a red grape variety mostly used in the Portuguese Bairrada appellation. This dark-skinned grape can produce wines of various characters, but until the 1980s, most producers used it for inexpensive bulk wines. When the approach and the techniques were adjusted, it was shown that Baga is able to produce excellent quality wines with great aromatic structure, good acidity, and firm tannins.
Baga wines are built for long aging and significantly benefit from the time spent in the bottle. The powerful tannins will tone down, and the aromas usually gain some elegance and complexity. Young Baga wines will have aromas of red berries and fruit, which may evolve into more complex expressions of tobacco, plums, and coffee.
Vintage Port is a style made from the best grapes of a single year harvest. It is considered the most prestigious and the highest quality port style. Vintage is not produced every year, but only when port houses decide that the wine is of sufficient quality.
Vintages make only about 2% of all port production, and in the best years, all port houses will declare a Vintage. The decision to declare a Vintage can be made after Portugal’s Port Wine Institute had approved it. Vintages are barrel-aged for two to three years and are not filtered before they are bottled.
Colheita is a type of Tawny port made with single-harvest grapes. They have to be aged for at least seven years, though most producers opt for longer barrel maturation and decide to bottle it when the wine is ready and considered of sufficient quality.
During wood maturation, the wine will become smooth and develop complex aromas and flavors reminiscent of dried fruits, spices, nuts, and citrus fruits. Colheita is a style of exceptional quality that is usually reasonably priced. It is quite rare, and only around 1% of port production is designated to become Colheita.
THE BEST Colheita Fortified Wines

Justino's Madeira Wines
Colombo Madeira Colheita 1998 Sweet
Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold 2018

Justino's Madeira Wines
Justino’s Madeira Verdelho Colheita 1997
Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold 2022

Justino's Madeira Wines
Justino's Madeira Sercial Colheita 1997
Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold 2022

Justino's Madeira Wines
Justinos Madeira - Malvasia Colheita
Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold 2017

Tawny is a variety of fortified port that is usually oak-aged for around seven years (Reserva), but vintages may extend to ten, twenty, and even over forty years of age. These fortified red wines are praised for their complex aromatic profile as well as their rich and smooth texture.
Usually amber and often sweet, Tawny ports display an array of different aromas that typically include a nutty combination of toffee and caramel, coffee, vanilla, dates, ripe red and dark fruit, figs, or prunes. Due to its different character that depends on the age, Tawny is a perfect accompaniment to various desserts, especially those made with nuts, fruit, chocolate, or eggs.
VARIATIONS OF Tawny Port
Ruby is the most common and the freshest style of fortified port wines. Made from various red grapes, Ruby ports are usually aged for three years, typically in steel or concrete tanks, and are considered to be an approachable introduction to more complex port wines.
As the name suggests, these fresh wines usually have rich ruby color, while the flavors and aromas are light and fruity, all accompanied by subtle tannins. Ruby port can be served at room temperature, slightly chilled, or in some cases over ice. They usually pair well with cherry or chocolate-based desserts and blue cheese.
Vinho Verde is a Portuguese appellation for a variety of wines made with native regional grapes. The appellation is located in northern Portugal, and it is mainly defined by the Minho river. Verde, which translates as green, does not refer to the color of the wines but to the fact that they are predominantly consumed young.
Another explanation says that the region's lush green landscape was the inspiration. Vinho Verde wines can be red, white, or rosé. Most of these wines are blends, though there are some varietals. The list of permitted grapes is dominated by six varieties: Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal, Avesso, Loureiro, and Trajadura.
Touriga Nacional is a red grape variety indigenous to Portugal, mainly used to make port. It is predominately grown in the wine regions of Douro and Dão, and recently it has become an appreciated varietal dry wine, which offers great value for money and has a good aging potential.
The wines are usually high in tannins, with a full body, intense flavors, and aromas of blue and black fruits, violets, spices, mint, and cocoa. Touriga Nacional is occasionally blended with Touriga Franca and Tempranillo, which creates more approachable, balanced wines.
THE BEST Touriga Nacional Wine Varieties




Moscatel de Setúbal is a fortified dessert wine produced on the Portuguese Setúbal peninsula. Primarily made from Moscatel de Setúbal, internationally known as Muscat of Alexandria, the wines are fortified with grape brandy and are then aged for a minimum of eighteen months.
The color of these sweet wines ranges from golden to amber, and their main aromas include a complex combination of honey, caramel, orange blossom, spices, and acacia notes. These luscious wines are great enjoyed on their own, but they also naturally pair with caramel-based or dry desserts and soft-centered cheese.
Tinta Cão is one of the most popular red grapes in the Dão and Douro wine regions. It is one of the great ancient Portuguese grapes, but its parentage has not yet been clarified. The grape is used in varietal and blends, and it can produce intensely-colored elegant wines with good aging potential.
The wines made with Tinta Cão will usually have a floral and fruity aroma reminiscent of red and dark fruit, occasionally with hints of spice and some earthy nuances. The tannins are firm but remain soft and rounded. The best expressions will have an excellent balance of acidity, sugar, and alcohol.
Port is a fortified wine that has its origins in the Duoro Valley. It is produced from various grape varieties, though Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca, and Tinta Cão are considered the best for the red port, while Viozinho, Rabigato, Arinto, Cedega, Gouveio are largely used for the production of white port.
After fermentation, the wine is fortified with brandy and is usually matured in oak casks. Depending on the style, after blending, the wine can further age in the bottle or the barrel. The most common port styles include the young and fresh Ruby, the earthy Late-Bottled Vintage, and the rich and smooth Tawnies, while the Vintage ports enjoy the highest prestige.
VARIATIONS OF Port
Best Portuguese Alcoholic Beverage Producers
Established in 1820, Pereira D’Oliveira today is run by Anibal, Luis and Filipe D’Oliveira, the fifth generation of the family and the direct descendants of Joao Pereira d’Oliveira who founded the company. Their philosophy is to produce wines of the highest possible quality with experience acquired over two centuries of wine making.
Above all their aim is to produce wines of exceptional balance – powerful and textured with wonderful aromatic complexity, yet balanced by freshness.
AWARDS

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2019
BEST Pereira d'Oliveira Vinhos Wines
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2023, 2022, 2019

Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold
2022, 2018, 2017

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022, 2018
BEST Justino's Madeira Wines Wines
AWARDS

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022, 2021

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2024, 2022, 2021, 2019

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2021, 2019
BEST Henriques & Henriques Wines
The Blandy family is unique in being the only family of all the original founders of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their own original wine company. Throughout its long history on the island, the family has played a leading role in the development of Madeira wine.
Members of the family continues to live on Madeira, maintaining a tradition that goes back to 1811: 2 centuries of fine wine production.
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2024, 2019

Asia Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022
BEST Blandy's Wines
Quinta do Noval is one of the oldest and most prestigious wine estates in Portugal's Douro Valley, renowned for its exceptional Port and Douro wines. Located near Pinhão, it has a long history dating back to 1715 and is recognized for producing high-quality wines with distinctive character.
The vineyard is known for its unique terroir, with steep, terraced vineyards overlooking the Douro River, which create ideal conditions for growing indigenous grape varieties.
AWARDS

Wine Spectator - 97
2021

Falstaff - 100

Falstaff - 99
BEST Quinta do Noval Wines
AWARDS

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2024, 2019, 2018

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2022

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2018
BEST Casa Ermelinda Freitas Wines
AWARDS

USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2023, 2022, 2021

Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold
2021, 2017

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2019
BEST Adega Cooperativa De Redondo Wines
Quinta de Lemos is known for its dedication to quality and its focus on indigenous Portuguese grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Baga. The estate combines traditional winemaking techniques with modern methods, producing wines that are elegant, balanced, and expressive of the Dão’s heritage.
The winery's flagship wines include red, white, and rosé wines that showcase the richness and depth of the region's soils and climate.
AWARDS

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2019

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2021, 2020
BEST Quinta de Lemos Wines
AWARDS

Barcelona Beer Challenge - Gold
2022, 2021

European Beer Star - Gold
2021
BEST Cerveja Musa Beers
AWARDS

Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold
2021

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2022
BEST Vallegre Vinhos do Porto Wines
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Portuguese Alcoholic Beverages” list until May 29, 2025, 1,391 ratings were recorded, of which 970 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.