The name translates as "Blue Portuguese," and the vine is a close relative of the German Portugieser; many ampelographers believe that it originated in Austria and has nothing to do with Portugal - in fact, it is quite a mystery how it acquired this name. However, the winegrowers of Bad Voeslau and Sooss, the very regions where some 80% of all Austrian Blauer Portugieser is grown, believe that the vine did originate in Portugal but that it became extinct there some 150 to 200 years ago.
The vine is not choosy regarding soil, is reliable with a plentiful yield, but rather nonresistant to frost.
The wine is of a light, slightly "meaty" ruby-red colour, mild, with low alcohol content and acidity; it ages quickly. Portugalka is rarely on offer as a varietal wine, although the young wine is quite pleasant, albeit unprepossessing; usually it is blended with other, more aromatic wines, for example, to form delightful rosé wines and, of course, CviŸek.
Modra Portugalka is most widely grown in the Dolenjska area of Posavje as an essential ingredient of CviŸek.
