{{Short description|Portuguese wine region}}[[File:Arrabida footslope vineyards.jpg|thumb|Vineyards at the foot of Serra da Arrábida]] '''Palmela''' is a Portuguese wine region centered on the town of Palmela in the Setúbal Peninsula subregion. The wine region has the ''Denominação de Origem Controlada'' (DOC) status after having been elevated from its former ''Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada'' (IPR) status.<!-- possibly in 2000? --><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson |encyclopedia=Oxford Companion to Wine |edition=Third |title=Palmela |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/505 505] |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/505 }}</ref> At the same time, the former Arrábida IPR, centered on the Arrabida hills, was absorbed into Palmela DOC.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson |encyclopedia=Oxford Companion to Wine |edition=Third |title=Arrábida |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/505 505] |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/505 }}</ref>
Palmela first gained attention for its off dry white wines made from Muscat grapes harvested early but has recently turned its attention to producing dry red and white table wines.<ref name="Sotheby pg 332">T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 332 Dorling Kindersley 2005 {{ISBN|0-7566-1324-8}}</ref> The soil of the area of the former Arrábida IPR is predominantly limestone with good drainage potential for the cultivation of red wine varieties.<ref name="Sotheby pg 330">T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 330 Dorling Kindersley 2005 {{ISBN|0-7566-1324-8}}</ref>
==Grapes== The principal grapes of the Palmela region (including the former Arrábida IPR) include Alfrocheiro, Arinto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fernao Pires, Muscat of Alexandria, Periquita, Rabo de Ovelha, Roupeiro, Tamarez and Tinta Amarela.<ref name="Sotheby pg 332"/><ref name="Sotheby pg 330"/>
==See also== *List of Portuguese wine regions
==References== {{reflist}}
{{coord missing|Portugal}}
Category:Wine regions of Portugal