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Bucelas (DOC)


Bucelas (historically known as Bucellas) is a Portuguese wine-region located in the Lisboa wine-region. The region has Portugal's highest wine classification as a Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC). Located south of the Arruda DOC, the region is noted for its potential for cool fermentation white wine production. Vineyards in the area are planted on predominately loam soils. The white wines of Bucelas became widely popular during the Elizabethan era in England and again during the Victorian age. In London the wines were sometimes described as Portuguese hock because of their similarities to the German Rieslings from the Rhine. Urban sprawl in the 20th century has drastically reduced viticulture in the area, located north of the Portuguese capital city, Lisbon.

Viticulture in Bucelas, located just north of Lisbon, has likely existed since Roman times. Historically a white wine, during the Elizabethan age it was popular among the English as a fortified wine with wine historians believing that the wine was likely the same "Charneco" wine mentioned by William Shakespeare in the play Henry VI, Part 2 with Charneco being a local village in the Bucelas region. Eventually Bucelas was made as a non-fortified white wine, with British interests in the wine being revived during the Victorian age following the Peninsular War. During his time in Portugal, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington discovered the wine and imported large quantities back to his estate in the United Kingdom. With Wellington's favor, soon Bucelas was a fashionable wine on the London wine market where it was known as Portuguese Hock.


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