Order Wine in Portugal
- Jorgen Kirchhoff
- Dec 13, 2025
- 3 min read
A simple guide to enjoying wine the local way
Summary
Ordering wine in Portugal is wonderfully simple. With just a bit of local insight, you can enjoy wine exactly as the Portuguese do: casually, confidently and without unnecessary ceremony.
Wine in Portugal is everyday life
Wine isn’t a special-occasion drink here.
It’s part of everyday culture — at lunch, on café terraces, during long Sunday meals, or after a round of golf.
This relaxed approach is what makes ordering (and drinking) wine so easy.
How to order a glass of wine
When ordering, people usually add "por favor" or "se faz favor" (please).
Otherwise it can sound a bit too direct and unpolite.
Here’s what most people ask for:
Um copo de vinho tinto, por favor – a glass of red
Um copo de vinho branco, por favor – a glass of white
Um copo de rosé, por favor – rosé
Um copo de espumante, por favor – sparkling wine
Um copo de vinho verde, por favor – Portugal’s famous light, fresh white wine with lower alcohol than normal wine
You can also order:
Um jarro / jarrito de vinho da casa – a jug of house wine
Choosing house wine (vinho da casa) is completely normal — and normally very good for the price.
Vinho verde — light, fresh and lower in alcohol
Vinho verde isn’t a fine wine, and it doesn’t try to be.
It’s simple, refreshing, slightly fizzy and perfect in warm weather.
It also tends to have lower alcohol (often 9–11%), which is why it’s a popular choice at lunch or on hot days.
Vinho de pressão — the real insider option
If you want something truly local, ask for vinho de pressão.
It’s wine served from a pressurised tank — like draft beer, but wine.
And it can be:
white (most common)
red
rosé
The style is usually cool or cold, lightly fizzy, inexpensive, simple, very local and easy to drink.
It’s not a fine wine — think of it as everyday Portugal in a glass.
Some versions feel similar to vinho verde, others to a light table wine.
It all depends on the house.
Important:
Not every restaurant has it!
You’ll find it mostly in local places with portuguese customers.
Espumante — Portugal’s sparkling surprise
Portugal produces excellent sparkling wines at very fair prices.
If you enjoy Champagne, Prosecco or Cava, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Espumante is widely available by the glass and perfect for warm afternoons.
Wine and golf — a relaxed combination
In Portugal, it’s perfectly normal to enjoy a glass of wine after a round of golf.
Not because golfers here drink more, but because the wine culture is relaxed and unforced — and maybe because most golfers here are visitors who simply enjoy the atmosphere.
It fits naturally into the rhythm of the day.
A small personal note
One thing you quickly notice is how proud the Portuguese are of their wine.
Ask anyone, and they’ll happily tell you that Portuguese wine is the best in the world.
Whether you agree or not, the pride is real — and it’s a beautiful part of the culture.
Wine here isn’t just a drink. It’s identity, heritage and everyday joy.
Why we recommend exploring the options
Because wine in Portugal is simple, honest and full of character.
Whether you choose house wine, espumante, vinho verde or the very local vinho de pressão (if available), you’ll get a taste of the everyday life that makes Portugal so special.
Jorgen/Living on the West Coast of Portugal
Small moments • True gems • Real Portugal
If our inspiration can help you get more out of your time in Portugal – both on and off the course – then we're happy.
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