History of persistence and diversification of grape varieties in the region of Tras-os-Montes, NE Portugal Artigo de Conferência uri icon

resumo

  • According to a physiocrat memoirist of the late eighteenth century, "... the vines to be panted should not be from a single species but from different ones ...; and will be planted more of those that are of better quality." This recommendation was intended to induce farmers to plant a number of grape varieties, as diverse as possible, but within a reasonable numerical criterion. So they would be safe from the variation of annual productivity of different varieties, since one could produce more and others little or nothing. However, this plantation and controlled choice of varieties, was not always carried out. Documentary sources report that there was "... great abuse so the choice of land, as in planting a very excessive number of different varieties." In the province of “Beira” in Lamego (NE of Portugal), there were 67 varieties of grapes, "29 white and 18 black" and in Tras-os-Montes about 30, among white and red. Thus, this implied that at the harvest time some grapes were passed, other rotten and others still without getting to its perfect state of "maturity". It is considered, therefore, that this mix is reflected in the type of wine that the same grapes were to produce and that was variable from place to place within the same region It was considered therefore that this mixture would be reflected on the type of wine that the same grapes were to produce and that was variable from place to place within the same region. Production and varied wine because the grapes were "from many varieties" which adapted better or worse, to the land where they were planted. There were vines which gave best in “hot land”, while others prefer the “cold land”. Here is a lot of varieties planted in the region in the sixteenth century: “bastardo, trincadente, agudelho, Álvaro de Sousa (Malvasia), castelão, lourelo, verdelho preto, verdelho branco, donzelinho, terrantês, abelhal, burral, samarrinho tinto, ferral, ceitão, mourisco e folgazão”. A considerable multiplicity that included wine grapes, white and red, and table grapes. According to the classical author (Palladius) "... the farmer or want to have grapes to eat, or to produce wine; in the first case should plant vines that produce large berries grapes, and hard, as are ... “the grapes “ferais” the “ceitãs”, or “moscatel de Jesus”, the “dedo de dama”, and more. In the latter case, to choose the vines that give grapes with thin skin, and tasty, and especially those to whom the flower fall very first than the other. " So, would be necessary to end the referred mixtures of varieties to "improve the goodness of the wines" and the farmers should meet the quality of the grapes to harvest the best wines. According to information from the eighteenth century, "The grapes called Alvarelhão, pé agudo preto, tinta-cão, e sousão make a strong wine, full-bodied, of good taste; the “bastardo” and Donzelinho, together in small quantities with the other varieties sweeten and soften the harshness of Alvarelhão and Sousão, and increase them the softness of the aroma. " At this time, including the Douro region, there was a strong disbelief of some varieties which would assume later a great importance, not only in the region but in rest of Portugal, and even in the world. We refer to the varieties "... tourigo, tintacastelão, tinta-borraçal and others so-called thick-red, which regularly fruit in abundance, but the wine which makes them is weak and tasteless, and consequently with less duration". The objective of this study is the identification of the varieties of the Tras-os-Montes region, carry out its local territorial delimitation, in different ages, and make progress in identifying synonyms. Subsequently, will be performed a comparability study in the use of grape varieties in the same places, between the historical data and the remaining (very) old vineyards.
  • The objective of this study is the identification of the varieties of the Tras-os-Montes region, carry out its local territorial delimitation, in different ages, and make progress in identifying synonyms.

data de publicação

  • janeiro 1, 2016