Castelão, in Portugal also known as Periquita and João de Santarém, is a red
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
grape
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
found primarily in the south coastal regions but is grown all over
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
and is sometimes used in
Port wine
Port wine (, ; ), or simply port, is a Portuguese wine, Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro, Douro Valley of Norte, Portugal, northern Portugal. It is typically a sweetness of wine, sweet red wine, often served with dessert wine, ...
production.
The vine thrives in
sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural ...
y soils but is able to adapt to a variety of conditions. It produces a wine that can be harshly
tannic in its youth but softens as it ages. In the
Algarve VR, it is often blended with
Negra Mole to produce a wine with less aging potential but less harsh in its youth.
[J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 217 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ]
Synonyms
Bastardo Castico, Bastardo Espanhol, Castelana, Castelão Francês, Castelão Real, Casteleão, Castellam, Castellão, Castellão Portugues, Castico, João de Periquita, João de Santarém, João de Santarém Tinto, João Mendes, Joao Pinto Mendes, João Santarém, Lariao Preto, Mortagua, Mortagua de Vide Branca, Olho de Lebre, Perikvita, Periquita, Piriquita, Piriquito, Pirriquita, Santarém, Santarém Tinto, Trincadeira.
The variety
Tinta Amarela
Tinta Amarela or Trincadeira is a red wine grape that is commonly used in Port wine production. The grape is noted for its dark coloring. Its use in the Douro region has been increasing in recent years. The vine is susceptible to rot and perform ...
is also called ''Trincadeira'', but is not related to Castelão.
See also
*
List of Port wine grapes
According to the Method of Punctuation of the Plots of Land of Vineyards of the Region of Douro (decree nº 413/2001), there were 30 recommended and 82 permitted grape varieties in Port wine production. The quality and characteristics of each gra ...
*
List of Portuguese wine grape varieties
History of Portuguese wine, Portugal's history of viticulture and Winemaking, vinification covers many centuries and has included the use of an extensive number native varieties. In addition, through experimentation and field trials a number of ne ...
References
Red wine grape varieties
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