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Find out why the Portuguese are planting more Vital

18 November 2024 By Patrick Schmitt

A masterclass on the Wines of Lisboa on Monday in London will consider why the Portuguese are planting more of an extremely rare grape called Vital – and the UK drinks trade is invited to register.

Among the foci of an event running from 11am to 4pm at Lisboeta on Charlotte Street will be the native grapes of Lisboa, which will feature at a walk-around tasting and in a masterclass given by myself from 11-12.30pm.

While this coastal part of Portugal near the nation’s capital city, Lisbon, has long been focused on another native grape called Arinto when it comes to whites, the obscure Vital is now gaining a following among winemakers for its ability to yield refreshing wines, even in a warming climate.

And Vital certainly offers the producers of Lisboa a point of difference – there’s not much of it in the ground, and it’s only found in this part of Portugal.

As for the style of wine it makes, that will be highlighted at the masterclass with an old vine example from AdegaMãe, which has been fermented and aged in a concrete egg, and hails from the 2020 vintage.

Lemony, salty and age-worthy, Vital likes the climate of Lisboa, which is strongly influence by the nearby Atlantic. While normally blended, there are an increasing number of varietal versions being bottled by winemakers of the region to draw attention to Vital’s unique character, while encouraging a greater appreciation for the little-known variety.

Those who register for the masterclass by clicking here can not only try a fine example of Vital, but other benchmark wines of Lisboa, made using white grapes from Cercial to Arinto, and among the reds, Touriga Nacional to Castelão – as well as a first-rate Syrah.

And, as you can experience at the event, such wines have been made by the region’s most esteemed producers, including AdegaMãe, as well as Aveleda and Hugo Mendes.