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Portugal for the Introductory Sommelier exam: what you need to know
A one-page Portugal study sheet for the Level 1 exam, following the Court's syllabus: climate, classification, regions, grapes, label terms, Port and Madeira, then an eight-question quiz.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
7 min read
The short answer: for Level 1, know Portugal's three quality levels, where the main regions are, one or two grapes per region, the label terms, and the styles of Port and Madeira. This cheat sheet follows the Court of Master Sommeliers' Introductory syllabus for Portugal, heading by heading. For the full story behind each region, read my tour of Portuguese wine.
At the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, the Introductory exam is a multiple-choice theory paper plus a short service test, with 60% needed in each. The quickest way to learn Portugal is by matching: grape to region, term to meaning, style to wine.
1. Climatic influences
- Maritime in the north-west and along the coast: the Atlantic brings rain and cool temperatures to Vinho Verde, Bairrada and Colares.
- Continental inland: the Douro and Dão are sheltered by mountains, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. The Serra do Marão blocks Atlantic rain from the Douro.
- Mediterranean in the south: the Alentejo is hot and dry.
2. Quality structure
| Category | On the label | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| DOP | DOC | The strictest level: a defined region with its own rules on grapes, yields and production |
| IGP | Vinho Regional (VR) | A wider region; at least 85% of grapes from it; more freedom of grapes |
| Wine without a GI | Vinho | No geographical indication |
- DOP
- On the labelDOC
- What it meansThe strictest level: a defined region with its own rules on grapes, yields and production
- IGP
- On the labelVinho Regional (VR)
- What it meansA wider region; at least 85% of grapes from it; more freedom of grapes
- Wine without a GI
- On the labelVinho
- What it meansNo geographical indication
Older books call the bottom level Vinho de Mesa. For the exam, learn the three categories above.
3. The districts and where they are
| District | Location | Remember it for |
|---|---|---|
| Vinho Verde (Minho) | North-west, by the Atlantic and the Spanish border | Fresh whites from Alvarinho and Loureiro |
| Douro | North, along the Douro river towards Spain | Port, and dry reds |
| Dão | Centre-north, ringed by mountains | Elegant reds from Touriga Nacional; Encruzado whites |
| Bairrada | Centre, near the coast | Baga reds; sparkling wine |
| Colares | By the sea, near Lisbon | Ramisco vines in sand |
| Setúbal | South of Lisbon | Moscatel de Setúbal; Castelão reds from Palmela |
| Alentejo | The south | Ripe reds from Aragonez, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet |
| Madeira | Island in the Atlantic | Fortified Madeira |
- Vinho Verde (Minho)
- LocationNorth-west, by the Atlantic and the Spanish border
- Remember it forFresh whites from Alvarinho and Loureiro
- Douro
- LocationNorth, along the Douro river towards Spain
- Remember it forPort, and dry reds
- Dão
- LocationCentre-north, ringed by mountains
- Remember it forElegant reds from Touriga Nacional; Encruzado whites
- Bairrada
- LocationCentre, near the coast
- Remember it forBaga reds; sparkling wine
- Colares
- LocationBy the sea, near Lisbon
- Remember it forRamisco vines in sand
- Setúbal
- LocationSouth of Lisbon
- Remember it forMoscatel de Setúbal; Castelão reds from Palmela
- Alentejo
- LocationThe south
- Remember it forRipe reds from Aragonez, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet
- Madeira
- LocationIsland in the Atlantic
- Remember it forFortified Madeira
4. Principal grape varieties
- Red: Touriga Nacional (Douro, Dão), Touriga Franca (Douro), Tinta Roriz (= Tempranillo; called Aragonez in the Alentejo), Baga (Bairrada), Castelão (Setúbal Peninsula), Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo), Ramisco (Colares).
- White: Alvarinho (= Albariño) and Loureiro (Vinho Verde), Arinto (all over, and the grape of Bucelas), Encruzado (Dão), Fernão Pires (called Maria Gomes in Bairrada), Antão Vaz (Alentejo).
5. Wines and production, district by district
| District | Main grapes | The wine |
|---|---|---|
| Dão | Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz; Encruzado | Elegant reds that age; fine whites; granite soils |
| Minho (Vinho Verde) | Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto; Vinhão for reds | Light, fresh, aromatic whites, some lightly sparkling; also reds, rosé and sparkling |
| Douro | Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão | Port; full dry reds; whites from Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio |
| Bairrada | Baga; Fernão Pires, Bical | Firm, tannic reds; sparkling wine |
| Alentejo | Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet; Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro | Ripe, generous reds and full whites |
| Colares | Ramisco | Rare reds from vines planted in sand by the sea |
| Setúbal | Moscatel; Castelão in Palmela | Moscatel de Setúbal, a sweet fortified wine |
- Dão
- Main grapesTouriga Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz; Encruzado
- The wineElegant reds that age; fine whites; granite soils
- Minho (Vinho Verde)
- Main grapesAlvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto; Vinhão for reds
- The wineLight, fresh, aromatic whites, some lightly sparkling; also reds, rosé and sparkling
- Douro
- Main grapesTouriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão
- The winePort; full dry reds; whites from Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio
- Bairrada
- Main grapesBaga; Fernão Pires, Bical
- The wineFirm, tannic reds; sparkling wine
- Alentejo
- Main grapesAragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet; Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro
- The wineRipe, generous reds and full whites
- Colares
- Main grapesRamisco
- The wineRare reds from vines planted in sand by the sea
- Setúbal
- Main grapesMoscatel; Castelão in Palmela
- The wineMoscatel de Setúbal, a sweet fortified wine
6. Labelling terms
- Colheita: vintage, the year of harvest. (On Port, it means a single-year tawny: see below.)
- Quinta: a wine estate.
- Reserva: a superior-quality DOC wine, certified by the regional body.
- Grande Reserva: a step above Reserva: a DOC or Vinho Regional wine of a stated vintage, with outstanding qualities confirmed by the regional tasting panel.
- Garrafeira: a wine of a stated vintage with extra ageing. Red: at least 30 months, with 12 in bottle. White and rosé: at least 12 months, with 6 in bottle.
- Tinto red, branco white, espumante sparkling, seco dry, doce sweet.
7. Port
- Region and production centres: the grapes are grown and the wine is made in the Douro Valley; the wines were traditionally aged in the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto.
- Soil: schist, on steep terraces.
- Main grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão.
- Production: the grapes are crushed (traditionally trodden by foot in stone lagares), and fermentation is stopped by adding grape spirit. The wine keeps natural sugar and ends up usually 19–22% alcohol.
| Style | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ruby | Young, deep red and fruity; bottled young |
| Reserve | A selected, richer ruby |
| Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) | A single year's ruby, bottled after four to six years in wood |
| Vintage | A single year from a declared vintage, bottled two to three years after the harvest; ages for decades in bottle; decant |
| Tawny | Aged in oak until amber, nutty and mellow |
| Tawny with an indication of age | 10, 20, 30 or 40 Years Old: a blend that tastes of that age |
| Colheita | A single-year tawny, aged at least seven years in cask |
| White and rosé | Made from white grapes, or as a pink Port; white can be dry or sweet |
- Ruby
- What it isYoung, deep red and fruity; bottled young
- Reserve
- What it isA selected, richer ruby
- Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
- What it isA single year's ruby, bottled after four to six years in wood
- Vintage
- What it isA single year from a declared vintage, bottled two to three years after the harvest; ages for decades in bottle; decant
- Tawny
- What it isAged in oak until amber, nutty and mellow
- Tawny with an indication of age
- What it is10, 20, 30 or 40 Years Old: a blend that tastes of that age
- Colheita
- What it isA single-year tawny, aged at least seven years in cask
- White and rosé
- What it isMade from white grapes, or as a pink Port; white can be dry or sweet
8. Madeira
- Topography and climate: a steep, mountainous Atlantic island; vines on small terraces; mild temperatures all year.
- Soils: volcanic, fertile and acidic, which helps the wines keep their high acidity.
- Grapes: four noble white grapes, plus Tinta Negra, the most planted, which can make every style.
- Production: fortified with grape spirit, then aged with warmth: heated in tanks (estufagem) or aged slowly in casks in warm lofts (canteiro). Madeira is famous for how long it lasts: Wines of Portugal says it can survive for more than two centuries.
| Grape | Style |
|---|---|
| Sercial | Dry |
| Verdelho | Medium dry |
| Boal (Bual) | Medium sweet |
| Malvasia (Malmsey) | Sweet |
- Sercial
- StyleDry
- Verdelho
- StyleMedium dry
- Boal (Bual)
- StyleMedium sweet
- Malvasia (Malmsey)
- StyleSweet
How to study Portugal
- Draw the map from memory, north to south: Vinho Verde, Douro, Dão, Bairrada, Lisboa, Setúbal, Alentejo, then the islands.
- One grape per region, out loud, until it is automatic.
- Learn the two ladders: Port from ruby to Vintage and tawny to Colheita; Madeira from Sercial to Malmsey.
- Taste a Vinho Verde and a tawny Port side by side, then take the quiz below and my Level 1 practice test.
Quick quiz: Portugal for Level 1
Question 1
Which is the strictest quality category on a Portuguese label?
- a)Vinho
- b)Vinho Regional
- c)DOC
- d)Reserva
Show answerAnswer
c) DOC. DOC (the EU's DOP) is the top category. Reserva is a label term for a superior DOC wine, not a category.
Question 2
Where is the Vinho Verde region?
- a)The north-west
- b)The Alentejo
- c)The Setúbal Peninsula
- d)Madeira
Show answerAnswer
a) The north-west. Vinho Verde lies in the cool, rainy north-west, by the Atlantic.
Question 3
Dão is best known for which pair of grapes?
- a)Baga and Bical
- b)Touriga Nacional and Encruzado
- c)Castelão and Moscatel
- d)Alvarinho and Loureiro
Show answerAnswer
b) Touriga Nacional and Encruzado. Wines of Portugal calls Dão the region of Touriga Nacional and Encruzado.
Question 4
Which grape is NOT used for Port?
- a)Touriga Nacional
- b)Touriga Franca
- c)Alvarinho
- d)Tinto Cão
Show answerAnswer
c) Alvarinho. Alvarinho is a white grape of Vinho Verde.
Question 5
What is a Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port?
- a)A blend of many years aged 10 years in cask
- b)A single year's ruby bottled after four to six years in wood
- c)A white Port from a single vintage
- d)A Vintage Port bottled after 20 years
Show answerAnswer
b) A single year's ruby bottled after four to six years in wood. LBV is a ruby-style Port from one year, bottled after four to six years in wood.
Question 6
What is a Colheita Port?
- a)A single-year tawny aged at least seven years in cask
- b)A Vintage Port from a declared year
- c)A young ruby
- d)A dry white Port
Show answerAnswer
a) A single-year tawny aged at least seven years in cask. Colheita is a tawny from a single harvest.
Question 7
Which Madeira style is dry?
- a)Malmsey
- b)Boal
- c)Verdelho
- d)Sercial
Show answerAnswer
d) Sercial. Sercial is the driest; Verdelho medium dry, Boal medium sweet, Malmsey sweet.
Question 8
What is Moscatel de Setúbal?
- a)A dry white from Vinho Verde
- b)A sweet fortified wine from Muscat
- c)A sparkling wine from Bairrada
- d)A red from Palmela
Show answerAnswer
b) A sweet fortified wine from Muscat. It is the Setúbal Peninsula's famous fortified Muscat.
For quick daily questions on Portugal and every other region, SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions, free to start. For a Port to taste with your notes, see choosing a Taylor's Port; for the winemaking side of the exam, viticulture and vinification for Level 1.
Questions people ask
What do I need to know about Portugal for the Level 1 sommelier exam?
The three quality levels (DOC, Vinho Regional, Vinho), the location of the main regions, one or two grapes for each, the label terms, and the styles of Port and Madeira.
Is Garrafeira on the Level 1 exam?
It is a label term worth knowing. The Court's syllabus asks for the detailed Garrafeira and Reserva ageing rules at the Advanced level.
What is the main grape of Vinho Verde?
For whites, Alvarinho and Loureiro, with Arinto. Alvarinho is the same grape as Spain's Albariño.
How strong is Port?
Usually 19–22% alcohol, according to the Port and Douro Wines Institute.
For sommeliers · next steps