Shakespeare was known to like Bucelas' white wine. Carvavelos used to have more yards. Vinification of all wines takes place in Colares.
Bucelas
Formerly of high esteem, wines from Bucelas have almost been forgotten. The region Regiao Demarcada has has status since 1911, today it is a DOC.
Limestone and sandy clay dominate in the hills around Bucelas. The summer are fairly cool. The wines are mostly white, dry, and fruity. The cool climate makes for lots of acidity. They become softer after storage. Arinto is the leading vine, followed by Esgana.
Carcavelos
This area had far more vineyards in the 18th century. Today this is the smallest of the three regions. The constantly rising tourism threatens to push out viniculture in this area between Lisbon and Estoril. The wines from Carcavelos are strengthened (18% Vol. Alc., 15 g sugar content). The bouquet reminds of nuts, the taste reminds of almonds. The wines' quality is surprisingly high and even rises after storage.
Colares
This region was first mentioned in 1154, and the Adega Regional Collective was founded in 1931. Today all wines from this region are processed. But the wines are stored in the vintners' cellars. The proximity to the Atlantic made is neccessary to protect the vineyards from the salty winds with braided reeds or plastic foils. The sandy soil doesn't allow the phylloxera vastatrix. So Colares was spared from the disaster of the phylloxera. The vines still aren't grafted. Wines of cherry color are full and strong. They are often processed in oak barrels, though this method of procesing is rather unusual for the region. The leading red vine is Ramisco, followed by Moral, Parreira Matias. The simpler white types are Malvaisa, Arinto, and Donna Branca.
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