Good, cheap wine from Portugal
Quick! Name a wine from Portugal! Who said “Port” or “Madeira”? That’s the obvious answer, but there’s lots more to discover in Portuguese wine.
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What’s your favorite cheap Portuguese wine?
Of course these great wines deserve their lofty reputation. But there’s a lot more to Portuguese wine. Just as Portugal’s splendid cuisine extends far beyond bacalhau (salt cod), so does its wine culture go far beyond those historic fortified wines.
From the Douro River valley in Portugal’s north – historic home of Port – to Alentejo and Algarve in the south, plus Madeira and the Azores in the Atlantic, Portugal is virtually covered by wine producing regions. It ranks fourth among European nations in wine production, trailing only Spain, Italy, and France.
The cool Atlantic breezes that bathe the Lisboa region’s vineyards also power wine turbines that stand along the horizon. Photo from Wines of Portugal (English language pages).
Portugal ranks tenth among wine-producing nations, accounting for just under 3% of the world’s wine production in 2023. The country’s $1.02 billion in wine exports that year made it the world’s ninth largest wine exporter.
And here’s the good news: In contrast with Port and Madeira (although they in turn are competitive in their niche), Portuguese table wines tend to be downright cheap.
“Portuguese wine is some of the cheapest on the planet,” wine writer Christina Pickard reported in the Feb. 6, 2025 edition of drinks industry publication SevenFifty Daily. “In the United States, which is Portugal’s second-biggest export market, valued at over $100 million, value for money remains the country’s calling card, with some styles selling for as low as $6 stateside.
“Portugal’s ‘bang for the buck’ reputation has allowed for many big brands to flourish in the U.S. market. But others feel that bargain basement prices hurt the nation’s wine reputation more than they help it, making it more challenging for premium Portuguese wines to be taken seriously.”
Today’s featured wine, Casal Garcia “Alegria” Vinho Tinto, offers us a good introduction to this scene.
In back-label marketing language it introduces itself as “one of the major ambassadors of Portuguese wine worldwide … an original blend of Portuguese red grape varieties to share with Friends and Family and enjoy the simple moments of life. Casal Garcia brings you ‘Alegria,’ a Portuguese word for joy, happiness, and celebration: feel it, live it and share it!”
Widely available in the U.S. for less than $10 and often as low as the $6 to $7 range, this might feel like a quaff too cheap for the attention of, um, serious wine nerds. But this approach brings us dangerous close to wine snobbery; and worse, it would deny us the occasion to enjoy a perfectly good table wine for the price of a triple-shot oat milk venti latte with a dash of syrup at your neighborhood coffee shop.
I know which option I’d prefer … give me that Portuguese wine! How about you?
Today’s Tasting Report
Casal Garcia “Alegria” 2021 Lisboa Vinho Tinto ($9.99)
A blend of the Port wine grape Touriga Nacional with Alicante Bouschet and Syrah in undisclosed proportions, Casal Garcia “Alegria” Vinho Tinto is a dark reddish-purple color with a thin, clear edge. Ripe and juicy red-berry and cherry scents grab your attention, and carry over on the palate in a fresh cherry-berry flavor that’s dry and acidic, adding hints of cranberry and red plum in an appetizing flavor that lingers. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Avelida Inc., Nantucket, R.I. (March 20, 2025.)
FOOD MATCH: Casal Garcia’s page offers specific suggestions: pasta bolognese, tuna steak with soy-ginger glaze, vegetable lasagna, and cheese and meat platter. It’s a natural with burgers, pasta, and saucy bean dishes and wouldn’t be amiss with a fancier steak or chop.
WHEN TO DRINK: This wine is made to be enjoyed young and fresh, but its sturdy metal screwcap is protective. I’d choose the youngest vintage available, but this 2021 is still showing very well.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $9 average U.S. retail price, with some vendors offering it for as little as $6. It’s a tasty, approachable wine and a clear value at these low-end rates.
WEB LINK:
The producer’s website is available in Portuguese dialects for Portugal and Brazil as well as German and English. Here’s the English-language Vinho Tinto page.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Casal Garcia “Alegria” on Wine-Searcher.com. (Wine-Searcher lists it as a Douro wine, but more recent vintages have moved from Douro to Portugal’s coastal Lisboa (formerly Estremadura) region.
Read about Portugal’s Tourigo Nacional grape and browse other wines made from this variety at this Wine-Searcher link.
Go to this Wine-Searcher link for information on Portugal’s Lisboa (formerly Estremadura) wine region.
Find the wines you want
Explore Wine-Searcher
Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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When vacationing in Portugal I of course sampled several of their excellent red wines and enjoyed how well they paired with their staple dishes. My preference for the full bodied ones didn't disappoint. Returning home I tried to find Portugese wines at the Total Wine retail store here in Sarasota, Florida and was very disappointed on how little a selection was available. I'm positive that once they are tried, they will be appreciated. Al Cenci, Sarasota, Fl.
Very fond of Portugal as a country and I like its wines - including, the fortifieds (I'm teaching a cohort of WSET diploma students that module this week, and these wines always open the door to contemplation and conversation). But also, from the electric acidity of Vinho Verde to spicy, rocky dry reds, there's a lot of table wine joy to be had. As you say, some excellent quaffers to be found thanks in part to blending traditions and a favourable climate in, say, Alentejo. From Lisboa, one ubiquitous red staple that ticks the box for around AU$10 is the Porta 6 Tinto (Aragonez, Castelão, Touriga Nacional) from Vidigal Wines.