Origin of wine cultivation
The origin of wine cultivation in Portugal can be traced to the ancient times when the country was a part of the Roman Empire and this tradition was introduced into Portuguese culture and way of life by the Romans, Greeks, Carthaginians and Phoenicians. Prior to the fall of the Roman Empire, Portugal exported its wine to Rome. In fact it can be mentioned her certainly that while Portugal had been a part of the Roman Empire, it was called Lusitania and this name was derived from the name of the son of god Bacchus called Luso. Bacchus is regarded as the roman god of wine and merriment according to their mythology. So therefore, one can easily figure out the long association between Portugal and wine since classical times.
There are several theories regarding the beginnings of wine cultivation in Portugal. According to some scholars it was the Tartessians in 2000 BC who were the first to establish vineyards in the peninsula of Iberia. It is also opined that in the 10th century BC the vineyards were built in these regions by the Phoenicians. However, it was not until the 7th century BC that the art of wine making finally took shape under the patronage of the Greeks. Since then the art of wine cultivation flourished in full swing and it continues even today as a huge amount of revenue is added to its already prospering economy in the form of the profits earned as a result of wine exports. In Portugal, wines are named according to their regions of cultivation. Some of these include Madeira wine, Vinho do Dao, Vinho Alentejo, Vinho do Douro, Vinho do Dao, Vinho Verde etc. the best quality wine obtained from the country however is the Porto wine from the Porto region of the country which is famous for its flavor.
