Fernão Pires

Fernão Pires carries the VIVC prime name Fernao Pires, variety number 4100, with a white (blanc) berry skin. VIVC records Portugal as its country or region of origin; resting on that single source, Portugal is its likely homeland. Its passport gives Malvasia Fina as the prime name of parent 1, while its separate markers field reads Arinto do Dao x an unknown parent; the two fields differ. The parent 2 field appears only as a question mark. WineWiki's VIVC-derived lineage data lists Baga and Bical as half-siblings of Fernão Pires.

• VIVC prime name: Fernao Pires; VIVC variety number 4100; country of origin: Portugal (likely; single source)
• Berry skin colour: blanc (white)
• Parents (passport fields differ): parent 1 Malvasia Fina; markers field Arinto do Dao x an unknown parent (single source)
• Half-siblings in WineWiki's lineage data: Baga and Bical

Fernão Pires is presumed to have originated in Bairrada, where it is also known as Maria Gomes.

• Presumed to have originated in Bairrada
• Synonym: Maria Gomes

Fernão Pires is particularly important in the Portuguese regions of Tejo, Lisboa and Bairrada; in Bairrada it is known as Maria Gomes. The vines are frost-sensitive and best suited to warm or hot climates. They prefer fertile soils, and the variety is sensitive to water stress on shallow soils or soils that hold little water. Outside Portugal, Fernão Pires has been planted with some success in South Africa and Australia.

• Particularly important in Tejo, Lisboa and Bairrada
• Called Maria Gomes in Bairrada
• Prefers fertile soils
• Planted with some success in South Africa and Australia

Fernão Pires is a very versatile grape: it is sometimes used as a single variety, sometimes blended, sometimes used as a base wine for sparkling wine, and it can be harvested late to make sweet wines. It gives high yields, and because it is early budding and ripening, the time of harvest is key. Its wines are best drunk young.

• Single-variety and blended wines, sparkling base wine and late-harvest sweet wines
• High yields
• Early budding and ripening, so the time of harvest is key
• Best drunk young

Fernão Pires is an aromatic variety, in which you might detect scents and flavours of lime, lemon, roses and other flowers, tangerines and oranges. Its wines can also show linden and orange blossom aromas.

• May show lime, lemon, tangerines and oranges
• May show roses and other flowers
• Linden and orange blossom aromas

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=4100 ; https://www.ivv.gov.pt/casta/fernao-pires/ ; https://www.ivv.gov.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Anuario_IVV_2025.pdf ; https://winesofportugal.com/en/portuguese-wines/grape-varieties/fernao-pires/ ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2023/july/16/the-indigenous-varieties-of-portugal Last verified 2026-10-27