The early Greeks planted their vineyards all over the Iberian Peninsula and around the seventh century BC there was a Greek vineyard near the mouth of the Tagus, placing Portugal among the first European countries to have wine making.Thereafter the Romans continued with the Greek vineyards and exported much of its wine to Rome. Later, the Muslims were forbidden to imbibe, but they kept the vineyards for "grape juice", and it is thought that they had many accidents in which the grape juice was unintentionally allowed to ferment. Once the Christians drove the Muslims out, Portuguese viniculture made uninhibited strides. By the twelfth century Portugal was already exporting, mainly to England, a very popular wine made of grapes from the mouth of the Douro River. Modern exports developed with trade to England after a treaty in 1703. From this commerce a wide variety of wines started to be grown in Portugal. And, in 1758, the first wine-producing region of the world, the Regiao Demarcada do Douro was created under the orientation of Marquis of Pombal, in the Douro Valley. The demarcated region aim was to guarantee the production of excellent quality wines. Today the country is considered to be a traditional wine grower dedicated to vineyards and a growing player in production, being in the top 10, with 4% of the world market (2003). Despite its small area, Portugal rates sixth in the world as a wine-producing country. Its vineyards covering 9811,400 acres, 8% of its continental land, with an average annual production of 112 million cases; and employs 25% of the working agricultural population.

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