This issue commemorates the creation of six demarcated Portuguese wine regions in 1908. The stamps show some of the native grape varietals used in the production of those wines.
Bucelas wine is produced near Lisbon and was popular in England during the Elizabethan and Victorian ages. During the 20th century, quality and production decayed but the trend has been reversed due to the interest of new producers in the indigenous varietals.
Colares wine is produced in sandy soils around Sintra. These wines are among the most expensive Portuguese wines due to their small production area, which can’t cope with demand. Carcavelos wine is produced around the cities of Cascais and Oeiras, near Sintra. The Marquis of Pombal, Portugal’s ‘prime minister’ in the late 18th century, owned vineyards there and his estate made Carcavelos wine popular in Britain in the early 19th century. Like in the case of Colares and Bucelas, urban development in the 20th century led to a decay of production.
Setúbal Moscatel (muscat) is a liqueurous wine from the Setúbal Peninsula, south of Lisbon.
Dão wine is produced in the north part of central Portugal. Most wines are red.
Vinho Verde (literally ‘green wine’) is a light and fresh wine produced in the Minho region. Vinho Verde does not require ageing as it is produced from grapes which do not reach great doses of sugar. Most Vinho Verde is white.
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- Bucelas region / Arinto varietal
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Colares / Ramisco
Carcavelos / João Santarém
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- Setúbal / white and red muscat
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- Dão / Touriga Nacional
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- Vinho Verde / Arinto
The stamps were designed by Atelier Acácio Santos / Helder Soares using grape watercolours by Roque Gameiro. Cartor lithographed 280 thousand copies of each stamp, on enamelled paper sheets of 10×5 stamps, each sheet with 25 pairs of se-tenant stamps with perforation 12×11¾. The set was issued on 2 October 2008.
| Stamp | Afinsa | Gibbons | Michel | Scott | WNS | Yvert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucelas vines | 3753 | 3334 | PT083.08 | |||
| Bucelas cellar | 3754 | 3335 | PT084.08 | |||
| Colares | 3755 | 3336 | PT085.08 | |||
| Carcavelos | 3756 | 3337 | PT086.08 | |||
| Setúbal cellar | 3757 | 3338 | PT087.08 | |||
| Setúbal vines | 3758 | 3339 | PT088.08 | |||
| Dão vines | 3759 | 3340 | PT089.08 | |||
| Dão cellar | 3760 | 3341 | PT090.08 | |||
| Verde | 3761 | 3342 | PT091.08 | |||
| Verde vines | 3762 | 3343 | PT092.08 |