Távora-Varosa is a Portuguese wine

Portuguese wine

Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the...

 region located in the northwestern section of the Beiras region. The region is designated as Denominação de Origem Controlada

Denominação de Origem Controlada

The Denominação de Origem Controlada is the system of protected designation of origin for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products from Portugal.-Wines:...

(DOC) after it was promoted from its former Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR) status, when it was called Varosa IPR. At the same time, the former Encostas da Nave IPR, bordering the Douro, was absorbed into the Távora-Varosa DOC.

The white wines of Távora-Varosa have traditionally been used by Portuguese sparkling wine

Sparkling wine

Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...

 producers as part of a base cuvée

Cuvee

Cuvée is a French wine term derived from cuve, meaning vat or tank. The term cuvée is used with several different meanings, more or less based on the concept of a tank of wine put to some purpose:...

, while the wines of the former Encostas da Nave IPR are very similar to the wines of the Douro region.

Grapes

The principle grapes of the Távora-Varosa region (including the former Encostas da Nave IPR) include Alvarelhao

Alvarelhão

-History:Alvarelhão must have originated in northern Portugal, but little is known of its ancestry. DNA studies have shown some similarity to Esgana Cão.-Portugal:...

, Arinto

Arinto

Arinto or Arinto de Bucelas is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Bucelas, Tejo and Vinho Verde regions. It can produce high acid wines with lemon notes.-Synonyms:...

, Borrado das Moscas, Cercial, Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...

, Fernao Pires

Fernão Pires

Fernão Pires is a white Portuguese wine grape grown throughout Portugal but most notable in the Tejo and Bairrada where it is also known as "Maria Gomes". This varietal is known to produce wines with a spicy aromatic character, though often with delicate exotic fruity notes...

, Folgosao, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Mourisco Tinto

Mourisco Tinto

Marufo or Mourisco Tinto is a red Portuguese wine grape that is planted primarily in the Douro DOC. It is a recommended grape in Port wine production.-Synonyms:...

, Pinot blanc

Pinot Blanc

Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....

, Pinot noir

Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...

, Tempranillo

Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...

, Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca is a Portuguese red wine grape that is grown primarily in the Douro region with some plantings in South Africa. In Portugal, it is a common blending grape in Port wine while in South Africa it is normally made into a varietal...

, Touriga Francesa

Touriga Francesa

Touriga Franca is one of the major grape varieties used to produce port wine. Touriga Franca is lighter and more perfumed than Touriga Nacional, adding finesse to the wine. Touriga Franca has been described by Jancis Robinson as playing "Cabernet Franc to Touriga Nacional’s Cabernet Sauvignon"...

 and Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional is a variety of red wine grape, considered by many to be Portugal's finest. Despite the low yields from its small grapes, it plays a big part in the blends used for ports, and is increasingly being used for table wine in the Douro and Dão. Touriga Nacional provides structure and...

.