Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca is a red grape type hailing from the northern area of Portugal called the Douro Valley. Tinta Barroca has a very high sugar and alcohol content and is most commonly used to make Port wines. Tinta Barroca will be most commonly found as a blending component, which is responsible for most Portuguese complex blends. Tinta Barroca can be found as a single variety wine, mostly all in South Africa, and has become a popular wine style of the Western Cape. Tinta Barroca is a high yielding crop, which makes it a popular choice for growers, but not necessary a top choice for producers. Tinta Barroca is ranked third in the Douro for the most widely planted because producers would rather use Tempranillo or even Touriga Franca in their wines, which are ranked second and first as most widely planted, respectively. Tinta Barroca is susceptible in hot weather, where the berries will shrivel and shrink. Because of this, Tinta Barroca is planted on the higher sides of the Douro Valley where the air is cooler and shaded from the heat of sunshine.