{"id":734,"date":"2025-07-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/?p=734"},"modified":"2025-07-23T15:33:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T15:33:06","slug":"look-out-for-this-one-word-on-wine-bottles-itll-get-you-the-best-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/2025\/07\/19\/look-out-for-this-one-word-on-wine-bottles-itll-get-you-the-best-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Look out for this one word on wine bottles \u2014 it\u2019ll get you the best value"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You don’t have to compromise on quality (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who wants to choose between value and quality when it comes to wine? Not me, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s a good job there are winemaking regions that offer both then. But you have to be \u2018in the know\u2019 to know. You know? For example, the Languedoc in Southwest France<\/a>, La Mancha in Spain<\/a> and possibly the most exciting, Lisboa (Lisbon<\/a>) in Portugal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s this latter name that you’ll want to look out for next time you’re in the wine aisle, because wine from Portugal’s capital city is about to pop off, hot off the heals of the county’s more famous winemaking regions like Vinho Verde, Alentejo, Bairrada, D\u00e3o and the Duoro.<\/p>\n

‘Lisboa as in, Lisbon?’ you may ask. What the salted bacalao is going on there? It\u2019s the sort of place you\u2019d visit on a weekend minibreak<\/a> without even realising that it\u2019s surrounded by coastal vineyards producing the most scrumptious wines of all styles and price points.  <\/p>\n

You\u2019ll normally spot the name \u2018Lisboa\u2019 on an eye-catchingly colourful front label. It\u2019ll be below the winery name or grape variety you half remember googling because you semi-read about it somewhere, probably in one of my columns as I bang on about it so much. It pays (literally) to bear in mind that the word \u2018Lisboa\u2019 is shorthand for an exceptional quality-to-price ratio.<\/p>\n

The region stretches along Portugal\u2019s western edge, all foggy Atlantic coastline and craggy hills. There\u2019s sea mist like you\u2019ve never seen before, or inhaled, with almost Cornish-looking coves in certain places.<\/p>\n

A patchwork of nine subregions, all with different growing conditions and soils, Lisboa’s wine styles veer from the taut, saline whites of Brucelas to the rich and nervy reds of Colares, which feel like someone\u2019s switched on the mains in your mouth, in a good way. There\u2019s also juicy Pet Nats (P\u00e9tillant Naturel, but not the weird-tasting ones), traditional method sparkling wines, orange wines, organic wines and the sticky, port-like wines of Carcavelos.  <\/p>\n

So, you can see why Lisboa is quickly gaining traction as the place to chase exceptional value for money, diversity and innovation.<\/p>\n

But why does Lisboa create such good wine?<\/h2>\n

First of all the climate, that all-important Atlantic freshness versus the fiery temperatures of the Douro or the humidity of Bairrada. And crucially, Lisboa doesn\u2019t face the same pressures as more traditional areas like the port-producing Douro, or the comparatively commercial Alentejo.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s Lisboa\u2019s superpower which makes it a hub of experimentation, a place where prices are reasonable and a new generation of winemakers are taking risks and making wines that prioritise a sense of place over polish. There\u2019s a kind of, \u2018if it works, it works\u2019 mentality amongst the winemakers (it usually works), who all happen to be amateur surfers in their spare time, by the way.<\/p>\n

It’s no surprise then that the Atlantic Ocean is the region\u2019s protagonist, its thunderous waves providing the saline \u2018energy\u2019 that courses through the region’s wines. So much so, they\u2019re starting to add \u2018Atlantic\u2019 onto labels, which is exactly what they should be doing.<\/p>\n

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Rob enjoying a glass of Arinto white wine, by the Altlantic Ocean in Lisboa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Look out for local white grape varieties like Arinto and Fern\u00e3o Pires (pronounced for-now-peach)<\/em>, and Tinta Mi\u00fada (my fave), Ramisco and Castel\u00e3o for the reds. <\/p>\n

Make a beeline for producers like Haja Cortezia, Quinta da Boa Esperanca, Quinta da Casaboa, Manz, Quinta da Sant\u2019Ana, Quinta do Sanguinhal, Quinta do Montalto (the organic Pim Pam Pum range is incredible), Adega Belem, Wine Stone Group, Ramilo, the list goes on. Some aren\u2019t easy to find over here, but it\u2019s worth seeking them out anyway.<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re looking those up, here are some Lisboa wines to get you started, all are \u00a310 and under:<\/p>\n

M&S Lisboa Bonita Branco, \u00a38, Ocado<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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M&S Lisboa Bonita Branco, \u00a38, Ocado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Talk about a needle in a haystack, white wines from Lisboa are virtually impossible to find in mainstream shops over here. Grab this with both hands and never let it go. Until you finish it, then buy another bottle. This may not be a definitive example of Lisboa\u2019s prowess at white winemaking, but it\u2019s refreshing, fruity, lightly saline and will give you an idea of what the region can do.   <\/p>\n

LB7 Lisboa Ros\u00e9, \u00a38, Majestic<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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LB7 Lisboa Ros\u00e9, \u00a38, Majestic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Majestic also do a Vinho Verde Ros\u00e9, but I much prefer this one. Lisboa\u2019s is dryer with a lively, blood orange and nectarine guzzlability. It\u2019s a 50\/50 blend of Castel\u00e3o and Cabernet Sauvignon, though I wish they\u2019d used another native grape instead of an international one like Cabernet. There\u2019s no need, Lisboa\u2019s own grapes are where it excels.   <\/p>\n

Behind Closed Doors, \u00a310, Majestic (exclusive)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Behind Closed Doors, \u00a310, Majestic (exclusive)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not that Lisboa is all about value for money, but this is a steal, right here. Bucket loads of complexity, juicy fruit and freshness for your buck, made by one of Portugal\u2019s most awarded and internationally respected producers, Casa Santos Lima. Three out of four of the grapes in the blend are native, the other is Syrah. It\u2019s a barbecue wine that can even be lightly chilled.<\/p>\n

Waitrose Loved and Found Castel\u00e3o, \u00a39.25<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Waitrose Loved and Found Castel\u00e3o, \u00a39.25, Waitrose<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally, a wine made 100% from a Lisboa local variety. Even better, as it\u2019s usually only found in a blend. Castel\u00e3o on its own produces soft and fruity wines with melt-in-mouth tannins and a delicious line in hedgerow fruit; think blackberries, loganberries and mulberries. This has had a few months in French and American oak to give it a suggestion of creamy vanilla too. `<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"comment-now__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don’t have to compromise on quality (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop) Who wants to choose between value and quality when it comes to wine? Not me, that\u2019s for sure. Well, it\u2019s a good job there are winemaking regions that offer both then. But you have to be \u2018in the know\u2019 to know. You know? For example, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=734"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":743,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/734\/revisions\/743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}