Fair In person

Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting

Over 60 Portuguese producers at Tobacco Dock. Free masterclasses on regional styles, indigenous varieties and Port traditions. Consumer tickets include a glass and all seminars.

Regions represented

Region Key grapes Character
Douro Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz Both still red wines and Port; steep schist terraces
Alentejo Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira Warm interior; full-bodied reds and fresh whites from limestone soils
Vinho Verde Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto Cool, wet north; high-acid, low-alcohol whites, often lightly sparkling
Dão Touriga Nacional, Encruzado (white) Granite soils, altitude; elegant, cool-climate reds and mineral whites
Azores Verdelho, Arinto dos Açores Volcanic basalt; mineral whites of increasing international recognition
Setúbal / Lisboa Castelão, Fernão Pires Atlantic coast influence; fresh, food-friendly styles

About the event

Wines of Portugal / ViniPortugal's annual London showcase brings over 60 producers to Tobacco Dock — from the terraced schist vineyards of the Douro to the volcanic basalt of the Azores. The one-day format is structured as an open tasting floor with free masterclasses running in parallel throughout the event.

The 2026 masterclass programme covers regional styles and indigenous varieties; Portugal's unique Douro fortification tradition (Port); and a session on the Azores' increasingly recognised volcanic terroir wines. Consumer tickets (£25) include a tasting glass and access to all seminars. Trade pre-registration is free.

Why Portugal is worth exploring

Portugal produces a wider range of indigenous grape varieties than any comparably sized wine country — over 250 registered varieties, of which around 50 are commercially significant. This means most Portuguese wines offer flavour profiles not found elsewhere. The country also spans an unusually wide climate range: the cool, wet Vinho Verde in the far north produces wines with natural effervescence and acidity comparable to northern Germany; the hot Alentejo produces big, ripe reds closer in character to southern Spain or Australia. Understanding how geography shapes this range is covered in the Cool and warm climate styles guide.

Event details: Wines of Portugal / ViniPortugal. Booking: winesofportugal.info. Dates and programme subject to change.

Related

02 · Place — Guide Appellations explained 05 · Taste — Guide How to taste wine 03 · Making — Guide Red, white, rosé and sparkling methods Events All wine events

Questions

About Portuguese wine.

What should I know about Portuguese wine before attending?
Portugal uses almost entirely indigenous grape varieties — few of the international names (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon) that dominate other wine countries. The most important red variety is Touriga Nacional (the backbone of Port and Dão reds); Alvarinho (also known as Albariño in Spain) produces the finest whites of Vinho Verde. The country has significant terroir diversity: Atlantic-influenced Vinho Verde in the north, the hot interior Alentejo, the volcanic Azores. The Cool and warm climate styles guide provides context for interpreting these regional differences in the glass.
What is Port wine and how is it made?
Port is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley — still wine that has grape spirit (aguardente) added mid-fermentation, stopping fermentation and leaving residual sugar, which creates the wine's characteristic sweetness. The spirit also raises alcohol to around 19–20%. Port styles include Ruby (fruity, aged short-term in large containers), Tawny (aged in small oak casks, oxidative, nutty) and Vintage Port (declared in exceptional years, bottled young, aged in bottle for decades). For the winemaking context, see the Red, white, rosé and sparkling methods guide.
What are indigenous Portuguese grape varieties?
Portugal has hundreds of indigenous varieties — among the richest diversity of any wine country. Key ones to know: Touriga Nacional (structured, aromatic red); Tinta Roriz / Aragonez (same as Tempranillo in Spain; more common in Alentejo and Douro); Trincadeira (spicy, concentrated reds); Alvarinho (mineral, high-acid white); Loureiro (floral, fresh white); Encruzado (textured, complex Dão white); Fernão Pires (fragrant, approachable white). The main grape varieties guide covers international varieties — contrast them with Portugal's indigenous portfolio at the fair.
How are Portuguese wine appellations structured?
Portugal uses the EU PDO/PGI system. The highest tier is DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) — equivalent to AOC in France. Below that is IGP (Indicação Geográfica Protegida), which allows more flexibility on grape varieties. Portugal has 31 DOC regions; the Douro, Dão, Alentejo and Vinho Verde are the most internationally recognised. The appellation body is the IVV (Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho). For how appellation systems work across countries, see the Appellations explained guide.
Is there a best time to visit the tasting during the day?
Arriving in the first hour after opening (12:00–13:00) or mid-afternoon (14:30–16:00) usually offers the best producer engagement — the rooms are less crowded and producers have more time to talk through their wines. The free masterclasses run on a fixed schedule throughout the day and are worth booking in advance through the event website. Bring a notebook — there are many wines and producers and it is easy to lose track of what you tasted. The How to taste wine guide provides the structured vocabulary to use when taking notes at a fair.