The Wines of Portugal, a History

Portugal’s history can be traced back to around 700 BC, when the Iberian Peninsula was held first by the Celts, then the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. The Moors arrived in the 8th century and while they were there, introduced their culture, architecture, and agricultural techniques to Portugal. From the mid 15th century wines from the northern portion of Portugal have been shipped to England. So that the wine would be stabilized for its journey, brandy was added to the casks. The addition of brandy caused the wines to become sweeter and more fortified. This became Port wine. Thousands of casks of this type of wine from Douro were being sh…