Portugal
Portuguese wine is part of the ancient traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. It started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after a treaty in 1703.
The appellation system of the Douro region was created nearly two hundred years before that of France, in order to protect its superior wines from inferior ones.
The quality and great variety of wines in Portugal are due to noble soils, microclimates and proper technology. The official designations are the following:
Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) or VQPRD - Vinho de Qualidade Produzido em Região Demarcada. These are the most protected wine and indicate a specific vineyard, such as Port Wine, Vinhos Verdes, and Alentejo Wines. These wines are labeled D.O.C. (Denominação de Origem Controlada) which secures a superior quality.
Wines that have more regulations placed upon them but are not in a DOC region fall under the category of Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada (IPR, Indication of Regulated Provenance)
Regional Wine - Vinho Regional carries with it a specific region within Portugal.
Table Wines - Vinho de Mesa carries with it only the producer and the designation that it's from Portugal.