Vinho Regional

VR (Vinho Regional) - European Union IG/IGP analogue.

The whole of the country is divided into 14 regional wine areas.

Wines from these areas have for years been labelled in Portugal as Vinho Regional. Now the European Union has introduced new titles for this category of wine: IG (Geographical Indication) or IGP (Protected Geographical Indication). Most Portuguese regions have chosen to keep the old VR denomination.

Rules for making Vinho Regional are much less stringent than those that govern DOC wines. Nevertheless, many prestigious Portuguese wines are classified as Vinho Regional. This is often because the producer has chosen to use grape varieties that are not permitted for the local DOC, or at least not in those particular combinations or proportions.The looser regulations for Vinho Regional give producers greater scope for individuality, although these wines still have to fulfil certain criteria as to grape variety, minimum alcohol content and so on.