Carcavelos DOC facts for kids
Carcavelos is a special Portuguese wine region in Portugal. It's located near the cities of Carcavelos, Cascais, and Oeiras. This area has the highest wine classification in Portugal, called Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC).
Carcavelos has a long history of making wine, starting in the 1700s. It's famous for its fortified wine, which is a stronger type of wine. These wines are usually a bit sweet, have a golden-brown color, and taste a bit nutty. In the past, Carcavelos wines were very well-known around the world. However, today, much of the land where grapes used to grow has been used for building homes and cities near Lisbon.
History of Carcavelos Wine
People might have grown grapes in this area since Roman times. But Carcavelos became famous for its wine in the 1700s. This happened because of a powerful person named Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal. He owned many vineyards in the area.
The Marquis of Pombal made rules for Port wine, saying it should only come from the Douro region. But he still used grapes from his own land in Carcavelos to make wine. His estate became known for making fortified wines.
In the early 1800s, Carcavelos wines were very popular in London, especially at wine auctions. In 1908, the region was officially recognized as a special wine area.
However, during the 1900s, the amount of land used for growing grapes in Carcavelos quickly shrank. This was because the cities of Lisbon and Estoril grew bigger. By the early 2000s, only a small amount of vineyards were left. Most of these were part of the Marquis of Pombal's old estate.
Even though the region is much smaller now, some independent winemakers are trying to bring back the historic Carcavelos wine. They want to use the traditional grapes and methods to revive this special wine.
Climate and Geography
Carcavelos has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Its location near the mouth of the Tagus river helps to keep the climate mild and good for growing grapes.
Grapes and Winemaking
Carcavelos wines can be made from a mix of up to nine different types of grapes. The main grapes grown in the Carcavelos region include Arinto, Boal, Galego Dourado, Negra Mole, Trincadeira, and Torneiro.
To make Carcavelos wine, the grapes are first fermented. This process turns the sugar in the grapes into alcohol. Sometimes, a part of the fermenting grape juice, called vinho abafado, is set aside. This part still has some natural sugar in it.
The wine is then made stronger, or fortified, by adding a special grape spirit. This raises the alcohol level to about 18-20%. After this, the vinho abafado (the sweet part) is added back to make the wine a bit sweeter.
Finally, Carcavelos wines are aged in oak barrels for three to five years. This aging process gives the wines their special golden-brown color and nutty taste.
See also
In Spanish: Carcavelos (vino) para niños
