Bucelas DOC
Encyclopedia
Bucelas is a Portuguese wine
region located in the Lisboa wine region. The region has Portugal
's highest wine
classification as a Denominação de Origem Controlada
(DOC). Located south of the Arruda DOC, the region is noted for its potential for cool fermentation
white wine production. Vineyards in the area are planted on predominately loam
soils. The white wines of Bucelas were widely popular during the Elizabethan era
in England
and again during the Victorian age. In London
the wines were sometimes described as "Portuguese
hock
" because of their similarities to the German Riesling
s from the Rhine. Located north of the capital city of Lisbon
, urban sprawl
in the 20th century has caused viticulture
in the area to be drastically reduced.
Viticulture in Bucelas, located just north of Lisbon, has likely existed since Roman times. Historically a white wine
, during the Elizabethan age it was popular among the English as a fortified wine
with wine historians believing that the wine was likely the same "Charneco" wine mentioned by William Shakespeare
in the play Henry VI, Part 2
with Charneco being a local village in the Bucelas region. Eventually Bucelas was made as a non-fortified white wines, with British interests in the wine being revived during the Victorian age following the Peninsular War
. During his time in Portugal, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
discovered the wine and imported large quantities back to his estate in the United Kingdom
. With Wellington's favor, soon Bucelas was a fashionable wine on the London wine market where it was known as "Portuguese Hock".
During the 20th century, urban sprawl and development contributed to the decline of viticulture and winemaking in the region. By the early 1980s, all the vineyard lands in Bucelas was owned by a single wine estate with a poor reputation for quality. Towards the turn of the century, following a wave of enthusiasm and revival for Portuguese's indigenous
grape varieties, new winemakers started to set up operation in the area to produce wines from the local grapes.
and Esgana Cao. In the Victorian age, Bucelas' association as "Portuguese Hock" lead many in the wine industry to assume that its primary grape, Arinto, was somehow related to German wine grape Riesling. Ampelographers in the late 20th century were eventually able to disprove any relation between the two grapes. A characteristic of Arinto and its blending partner Esgana Cao, a name loosely translated to mean dog
strangler, is their ability to retain high levels of acidity even in the warm sub-Mediterranean climate near Portugal's coast.
In recent years, Bucelas winemakers have been experimenting with different winemaking
techniques including production of late harvest and sparkling wines made according to the traditional method.
Portuguese wine
Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the...
region located in the Lisboa wine region. The region has Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
's highest wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
classification as a Denominação de Origem Controlada
Denominação de Origem Controlada
The Denominação de Origem Controlada is the system of protected designation of origin for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products from Portugal.-Wines:...
(DOC). Located south of the Arruda DOC, the region is noted for its potential for cool fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
white wine production. Vineyards in the area are planted on predominately loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
soils. The white wines of Bucelas were widely popular during the Elizabethan era
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and again during the Victorian age. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
the wines were sometimes described as "Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
hock
Hock (wine)
Hock is an English term for German wine, sometimes wine from the Rhine regions and sometimes all German wine. It is short for the now obsolete word hockamore. The term is a corruption of the name of the German town of Hochheim on the Main river in the Rheingau wine region...
" because of their similarities to the German Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
s from the Rhine. Located north of the capital city of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
in the 20th century has caused viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
in the area to be drastically reduced.
History
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, during the Elizabethan age it was popular among the English as a fortified wine
Fortified wine
Fortified wine is wine to which a distilled beverage has been added. Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it...
with wine historians believing that the wine was likely the same "Charneco" wine mentioned by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
in the play Henry VI, Part 2
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, Part 2 or The Second Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
with Charneco being a local village in the Bucelas region. Eventually Bucelas was made as a non-fortified white wines, with British interests in the wine being revived during the Victorian age following the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. During his time in Portugal, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
discovered the wine and imported large quantities back to his estate in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. With Wellington's favor, soon Bucelas was a fashionable wine on the London wine market where it was known as "Portuguese Hock".
During the 20th century, urban sprawl and development contributed to the decline of viticulture and winemaking in the region. By the early 1980s, all the vineyard lands in Bucelas was owned by a single wine estate with a poor reputation for quality. Towards the turn of the century, following a wave of enthusiasm and revival for Portuguese's indigenous
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
grape varieties, new winemakers started to set up operation in the area to produce wines from the local grapes.
Grapes and winemaking
The principal grapes of the Bucelas region includes ArintoArinto
Arinto or Arinto de Bucelas is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Bucelas, Tejo and Vinho Verde regions. It can produce high acid wines with lemon notes.-Synonyms:...
and Esgana Cao. In the Victorian age, Bucelas' association as "Portuguese Hock" lead many in the wine industry to assume that its primary grape, Arinto, was somehow related to German wine grape Riesling. Ampelographers in the late 20th century were eventually able to disprove any relation between the two grapes. A characteristic of Arinto and its blending partner Esgana Cao, a name loosely translated to mean dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
strangler, is their ability to retain high levels of acidity even in the warm sub-Mediterranean climate near Portugal's coast.
In recent years, Bucelas winemakers have been experimenting with different winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
techniques including production of late harvest and sparkling wines made according to the traditional method.