Trincadeira (Tinta Amarela)
How to pronounce
A difficult Portuguese vine that makes red wines of serious quality when ripe, though it does not always achieve ripeness.
Trincadeira is a red Portuguese grape, known by that name in the Alentejo and as Tinta Amarela in the Douro. Properly ripened, it has vibrant raspberry fruit tempered by herby, peppery, spicy, floral complexity, with rich colour and good acidity. It is a difficult vine to grow and very sensitive to rot, so it does better in hot, dry places such as the Alentejo and Ribatejo/Tejo.
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Open the appOrigin and parentage
VIVC records Trincadeira under the prime name Trincadeira, variety number 15685, with a black berry skin and Portugal as its country or region of origin. Its parents are unknown: both parent fields in its passport are blank, and no full pedigree is recorded.
- VIVC prime name: Trincadeira; VIVC variety number 15685
- Country or region of origin: Portugal
- Berry skin colour: black (noir)
- Parents: none recorded (parentage unknown)
- Red grape grown throughout Portugal
- Called Trincadeira in the Alentejo and Tinta Amarela by Douro producers
- Does not always achieve ripeness; under-ripe, it tastes herbaceous
- Very sensitive to rot and other vineyard diseases
- Particularly at home in the hot, dry Alentejo and Ribatejo/Tejo, though grown throughout Portugal
Where It Grows
Trincadeira is grown throughout Portugal. Because it is very sensitive to rot and other vineyard diseases, it does better in hot, dry places, and it is particularly at home in the Alentejo and Ribatejo/Tejo. In the Douro, producers know it as Tinta Amarela.
- Grown throughout Portugal
- Particularly at home in the Alentejo and Ribatejo/Tejo
- Does better in hot, dry places because of its sensitivity to rot and other vineyard diseases
- Known as Tinta Amarela by Douro producers
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Trincadeira is a difficult vine to grow. It produces exuberant amounts of foliage and needs constant trimming to prevent vegetal flavours. Yields are generally high, but unreliable, and the vine is very sensitive to rot and other vineyard diseases. It does not always achieve ripeness.
- Exuberant foliage that needs constant trimming to prevent vegetal flavours
- Yields generally high, but unreliable
- Very sensitive to rot and other vineyard diseases
- Does not always achieve ripeness
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Trincadeira is rich in colour, with good acidity and rarely an excess of alcohol, and it makes wines of serious quality when ripe. Properly ripened, it has vibrant raspberry fruit tempered by herby, peppery, spicy, floral complexity, and it can age well. Under-ripe, it tastes herbaceous.
- Vibrant raspberry fruit with herby, peppery, spicy, floral complexity when properly ripened
- Rich colour, good acidity and rarely an excess of alcohol
- Can age well
- Tastes herbaceous when under-ripe
Sources and last verified
Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=15685 ; https://winesofportugal.com/en/portuguese-wines/grape-varieties/trincadeira/ ; https://esporao.com/en/wine/esporao-reserva-red/2023 ; https://rocim.pt/en/produto/amphora-red/ Last verified 2026-10-27
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See the glassVibrant raspberry fruit tempered by herby, peppery, spicy, floral complexity when properly ripened. Rich in colour, with good acidity and rarely an excess of alcohol.
- Esporão Reserva RedAn Alentejo red whose 2023 blend lists Trincadeira at 5%, alongside Aragonês 25%, Alicante Bouschet 20%, Touriga Nacional 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15% and Syrah 15%.
- Herdade do Rocim Amphora RedA red from the Vidigueira sub-region of the Alentejo, made from Moreto, Tinta Grossa, Trincadeira and Aragonez.
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- Trincadeira (as it is known in the Alentejo) and Tinta Amarela (the Douro name) are the same variety; know both names
- Key vineyard challenges: exuberant foliage, generally high but unreliable yields, and high sensitivity to rot and other vineyard diseases
- Does better in hot, dry places; particularly at home in the Alentejo and Ribatejo/Tejo
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