Portugal

Most well known for Ports (sweet wine that is fortified with brandy)
Ports are almost always blends
Handcrafted using traditional techniques
Authentic Port only comes from the Douro River Valley
Ports are highly agible
Douro River Valley made of up steep terraced vineyards consisting of schist and granite soil
Schist and granite soils that drain water very well force the vine roots to dig deep to find water. These roots travel up to 65 ft deep to gain access to a reliable source of water. This creates more stable vines that produce more consistent grapes
The Duero River of Spain becomes the Douro River when it crosses over into Portugal

GI Classifications

IGP (Indicação Geográfica Protegida): large areas of geographical indication
85 percent of grapes must come from the region stated on a label
DOP (Denominação de Origem Protegida): more specific locations within IGP’s
Higher degree of regulation with stricter requirements

The first are aged in wood barrels which allows them to be exposed to oxygen causing rich flavors reminiscent of crème brûlée.
Ex: Tawny Ports
The second are Ports that are bottle aged preventing any exposure to oxygen. These Ports have deeper chocolate-like flavors and color.
Ex: Vintage Ports

Are made of wines blended from different years.
The wines are labeled by a certain number of years, such as 10yr, 20yr, 30yr. This indicates what an expert taster would feel the average age of the wines that make up the blend taste like now how long it has actually been aged for.
Tawny is an orange or yellowie-brown color that refers to the color the Port becomes as a result of aging in wood barrels.
Is the most important region here and is broken up into 8 districts.
It is typical for Tawny Ports to be aged for at least 10 years in wood barrels.

Are very rare and expensive.
Make up roughly 3 percent of total Port production.
Only made during exceptional years in which all the grapes used will be the best grapes from the best vineyards from that year.
Aged for only two years in wood barrels then sealed in the bottle to prevent the wine from interacting with oxygen and left to age often for ten or more years.

Is wine fortified with Brandy to roughly 17-20 percent abv.
Top Madeiras are made from one of 5 white grapes each representing a different style of Madeira.
These five are Sercial, Verdelho, Terrantez, Bual, and Malmsey and are referred to as their “Noble” grapes.
Named after the largest island (also called Madeira) in a cluster of volcanic islands in which the drink comes from.
Drank by the founding fathers during the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Drank by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin

Brandy is added to the base wine during the fermentation process which raises the alcohol level to the point that it kills off the yeast cells and stops the fermentation process. Depending on how early on the Brandy is added determines how sweet or dry the wine will be
Next the now fortified wine is heated and allowed to oxidize. The heating process is called Maderization named after Madeira itself and is intended to simulate the extended period that Madeira barrels spent in the hulls of ships sailing in the tropics from which it originated. The heating process happens very gradually and lasts for 3-6 months often times taking place in attics
For the very best Madeiras, roughly 3 percent of total production, the casks are left in rooms to heat naturally from the intense sun of the area. These casks are left alone for anywhere from 20 to 100 years or even longer.
These wines are never topped off and aloud to concentrate naturally
Wines are then set to rest and slowly cool. Once rested they are set to age in wood typically for 20 or more years before being bottled.
For the top Madeiras this is a 40 or more year process which doesn’t even include any time the bottle may spend aging in someone's cellar.