red grape · rare
Brancellao
Trás-os-Montes and Beiras, Portugal
Say it
bran·theh·yow
The 'll' is a palatal lateral /ʎ/ (approximate as 'y'); in standard Galician 'c' before 'e/i' = /s/, so many speakers say bran-seh-YOW; final 'ao' is a falling diphthong like 'ow' in 'how'
On the palate
How you spot it blind: floral perfume and balsamic-herbal lift over high-acid red fruit
The story
First written down · 1790, Trás-os-Montes and Beiras, Portugal
Documented in Portugal by 1790, the variety nearly vanished after phylloxera; DNA studies link it to the western Galician Caíño group and to Sercial, and the UC Davis 'Alvarelhão' FPMS 02 clone used in California Port blends was confirmed as Touriga Nacional
Where it lives
Ribeira Sacra DO, Galicia, Spain · Ribeiro DO, Galicia, Spain · Trás-os-Montes, Portugal · Douro Valley, Portugal