The realities of climate change are being felt in Portugal, as producers look to different grape varieties for future wines, finds Lucy Britner
You can’t make a good omelette without good eggs.” This was a joke shared between a viticulturalist and a winemaker at a tasting in Portugal’s Douro Valley.
Márcio Nobrega, head of viticulture at Sogevinus, was making a quip about the importance of his role in the vineyard. And after spending a couple of days on the valley’s famous terraces with Nobrega, it became clear that the type of eggs for the omelette might change, as extreme weather is causing producers to rethink what they are planting.
Over the next decade, the region is set to experience a gradual shift to varieties that can retain acid and are better able to cope with drought.
“Viticulturalists are trying to find new varieties – or varieties that exist in the Douro but in a minority – that are more adapted to the climate,” says Carlos Alves, director of viticulture and oenology at Sogevinus Fine Wines – who also notes that the harvest in the region now starts a month earlier than when he joined around 20 years ago. He highlights Tinta Cão and Rufete, among others, adding that studies have been made to find out which grapes are suitable to cope.
“Tinto Cão, Rufete, Tinta Francisca and Touriga Nacional are indeed the grape varieties that are best suited to cope with climate changes,” he says. “As for Tinta Roriz, we have been doing some trials to have clones that provide more colour and aroma, to increase the overall grape quality, as well as for it to be able to cope better with climate changes.” He adds that people are also planting a lot of Touriga Franca.
Fátima Lopes, head port winemaker at Vallegre Vinhos do Porto – handled by Lanchester in the UK – also mentions Touriga Franca, of which she says: “Though lesser-known internationally, it is gaining recognition for producing elegant, aromatic wines, adding further depth to Portugal’s winemaking potential.
Lopes says the company is planting more Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, as these varieties are particularly resilient in hot conditions. “During our last vineyard restructuring, we prioritised these two grapes for their adaptability,” she adds
Looking more closely at Tinto Cão, Lopes says its small berries and thick skin, combined with its late maturation, “make it highly resistant to weather fluctuations, ensuring quality even under challenging conditions”.
Generally, Sogevinus’ Alves says producers are planting grapes that retain more acidity. Varieties that are being removed include Tinta Barroca, which produces “kilos and kilos of quantity” and therefore requires a green harvest to attain quality.
Nobrega describes Tinta Barroca as a “weak variety that doesn’t react well to high temperatures”.
At Vinhos Borges, which has vineyards in several Portuguese regions including Dão and Douro, marketing director Ana Montenegro also champions Tinto Cão and Touriga Nacional.
“These grapes are able to retain acidity and balance, even under stressful climatic conditions, ensuring the production of high-quality wines in increasingly challenging environments,” says Montenegro. “At Vinhos Borges, we are closely monitoring the performance of these varieties to maintain wine quality while adapting to evolving environmental challenges.”
VINEYARD ADVANCES
Over the next decade, Montenegro anticipates a gradual shift towards planting more drought-tolerant grape varieties, with further changes expected in the vineyard.
“Our approach goes beyond merely selecting resilient varieties. We are implementing advanced vineyard management practices, such as precision viticulture, which allows us to monitor vine health, soil moisture, and temperature more effectively.
These techniques help us optimise irrigation, improve water efficiency and reduce the overall environmental impact of our viticulture.”
Irrigation is on the cards at Sogevinus’ Quinta São Luis in the Douro, too, and coils of pipes are waiting in the vineyards. Nobrega explains that, while temperatures hit 40°C in the summer, it’s the lack of rainfall that is a bigger issue.
He says this has caused “about 5%” of vines to die in the past five years at Quinta do Arnozelo, another of Sogevinus’ quintas.
“We only use irrigation if we really need it,” adds Nobrega, who mentions other measures to protect the health of the vineyard, such as cover crops.
The make-up of varieties and vineyard management will continue to evolve with the changing climate. After all, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.