Best Portuguese 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.
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.
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
Justinos Madeira - Malvasia Colheita
Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold 2017

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

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




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
White port is a fortified wine made just like red port—by adding brandy during fermentation—but using white grapes instead of red. The blend most commonly includes native varieties such as Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Códega, and Rabigato, and it comes as a dry and sweet wine.
White port is mainly intended for early consumption, but oak-aged styles are also common. Most examples will have some amount of residual sugar. Their final character will depend on vinification, but they are generally lighter than red varieties. The aroma is reminiscent of citrus and stone fruit, along with nutty nuances that are usually found in golden, oak-aged styles.
Best Portuguese 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

Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2021

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2017, 2016
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
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

Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold
2022

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
BEST Casa Santos Lima Wines
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2023

USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2021

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2021
Best Portuguese Beverages
This harvest of Madeira wine was selected in a year of excellent production and ensured with quality control of the grapes, their ideal maturation, and a winemaking process that combines our art and centuries-old experience, with modern technology.
This traditional Madeira aged in old oak barrels at the appropriate temperature, until the year of bottling. It is recommended to keep the bottle in a vertical position, protected from extremes of cold or heat, and served at a temperature close to 20º.
AWARDS

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2024, 2023, 2019

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022
D'Oliveiras Boal is a renowned Madeira wine known for its rich, semi-sweet character. Made from the Boal grape variety, this wine typically offers a balanced sweetness with a refreshing acidity, making it versatile and appealing to many palates. With aging, D'Oliveiras Boal develops complex flavors of caramel, dried fruits, and nuts, along with the distinctive earthy notes typical of Madeira wines.
This wine is often aged for decades in wooden casks, which enhances its depth and long finish, making it a great choice for sipping on its own or pairing with desserts and cheeses.
AWARDS

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2023, 2022, 2018

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022
Terrantez is one of the rarest grapes, saved from the brink of extinction. 50 year-old Terrantez wines are as rare as it gets. Aged for over 50 years in old oak barrels and bottled on demand. An exceptionally rare wine. Rich, ethereal and very complex.
Intriguing scents of musk and autumn woods. Medium dry. Tobacco, spices, cigar box, tea leaves and iodine notes. Finish with mineral and bracing acidity.
AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2020, 2018
AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2021, 2019
Lemon Verbena Reserve Lot Herbal Tea by Cantinho das Aromaticas is celebrated for its high-quality, organic ingredients. This herbal tea is specifically made from lemon verbena, known for its vibrant citrus aroma and soothing properties. The tea is carefully harvested and processed to preserve its natural flavors and therapeutic benefits.
It is often enjoyed for its refreshing taste and potential health benefits, such as aiding digestion and reducing stress.
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2021
Restrito Grande Escolha 2014, is today the ultimate exponent of our passion. In years when, together with the winemaker, we believe that the harvest has the best characteristics, we place the wine in French oak barrels for an 18-month aging period.
The result of successive editions of Grande Escolha has revealed that our choices have been successful. These are wines that have received the greatest and best distinctions and criticisms.
AWARDS

Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold
2018

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2019
AWARDS

USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2022, 2021
AWARDS

USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2023, 2022
AWARDS

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2022, 2017
AWARDS

Berlin Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2021

Portugal Wine Trophy - Grand Gold
2021


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 Beverages” list until March 02, 2025, 1,472 ratings were recorded, of which 1,022 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.