The planting of vineyards and the making of wine was first introduced in the
15th Century by the Portuguese settlers from the mainland.
It is said that vines were originally imported to meet their needs for the
celebration of mass rather than for more personal reasons! Vines are
historically grown in currais (little 'corrals', or enclosures) bounded by dry
stone wals made of volcanic rock to protect the vines from the unforgiving
winds.
It was not long before production was sufficiently good that the two Islands,
Pico and Terceira were exporting a fortified wine well into the 19th Century.
The disease of odium and phylloxera from Europe somehow penetrated the vineyards
and wiped out the complete wine production.
The Island of Graciosa now makes a light wine and there are now three regulated
regions which are Pico, Biscoito (Island of Terceira), and Graciosa.
The wine produced tends to be thin and mainly consumed within the group of
Islands.
The introduction of new grape variatals and modern wine making techniques are
reviving wine production of these specks of eden in the atlantic.
• IPR Biscoitos
Biscoitos is a wine region located on the Terceira island of the Açores.
The region has the second tier Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR)
classification.
The production of this region is primarily fortified wines.
• IPR Graciosa
Graciosa is a wine region centered around the island of Graciosa in the Açores.
The region has the second tier Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR)
classification.
The region is known for its light bodied table wines.
• IPR Pico
Pico is a wine region located on Pico Island of the Açores.
The region has the second tier Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR)
classification.
The production of this region is primarily fortified wines.
• Vinho Regional Açores
CVR_Açores
Generally the new breed of winemakers who are finding new ways to make wine in
dramatic landscape.
Arinto
Arinto is a very versatile grape variety and, for this reason, it is grown in
almost every wine region. In the Vinhos Verdes region it is known as Pedernã.
However, it is in Bucelas that Arinto gains notoriety, being considered the
region’s “queen” grape variety.
Arinto’s bunch is big, compact and made up of small or medium-sized, yellowish
berries.
This grape variety is usually used in the production of blend (more than one
grape variety) and sparkling wines. In the Bucelas region, Arinto produces high
acidity monovarietal wines (single grape variety), which are citrine coloured
and markedly floral and fruity (when young).
Merlot
Merlot is one of the primary grapes in Bordeaux wine where it is the most widely
planted grape.
One of the many foreign grapes finding their way to The Açores.
Verdelho
Verdelho is a native of Madeira where it is used mainly for the production of
fortified wines.
Over recent years it has also been used for table wines.
The Spanish variety Verdejo is similar, but DNA profiling shows that it is
genetically distinct.