Portuguese wine, where have you been hiding?

Liking portuguese wines seems to be a trend right now, amongst the wine lovers, critics and general press overseas. Portugal was the dorky kid with glasses and who was always trying to hang with the cool kids but never really did, but not anymore. Now, people are favoring dry, unique wines that could be Portugal road to success.

Over the last two years, portuguese wines have collected various awards and high scores in international magazines and have been complimented by the critics and wine enthusiasts everywhere; as a consequence the exports numbers grew. 

In March, last year, Matt Kramer from the magazine Wine Spectator let his readers know that he and he’s family had moved to Portugal because it is here that one could find “the most exciting wine on the planet”. Dave McIntyre, from the Washigton Post affirms that he likes to shock people, whenever he’s asked to name a list of the wine he likes the most: “I like to surprise them and put Portugal right on the top of that list”.

Douro's wine landscape
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Portugal is cool, Portuguese wines are cooler.

Portuguese wines have been around for years, why just now?

Because the wine market is tired, oversaturated and in desperate need of different experiences, for which the standardized wines of the new world countries don’t seem to be the answer.  From 2012 to 2013, the records show that the wine exports in the European countries have risen a 2.4%, while in the New World markets the exports have fallen, with countries like Australia and Argentina suffering major losses in their sales.

So, portuguese wine has now the right opportunity to stand out. Due to its unique characteristics: the know-how of its people, the great diversity of terroir, Mediterranean regions, mountains in the north and the plains down south and it overall genetics, portuguese wine becomes the richest viticulture on this planet.

A breath of freash air

Alentejo wine's country
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But Portugal is not a country of varietal wines, according to Portuguese Master of Wine, João Pires, what truly counts here is the blend.  Portugal needs to bet on producing unique wines, wines that have a personality and that may not fall in a Robert Parker’s category constrains, but are still great.

The wine market trend is to look beyond these kinds of standardized wines, “wine connoisseurs and lovers want to taste more of the dry and less extracted wines” says the Portuguese Master of Wine.

Portugal has to seizes this trend and take full advantage of its unique DNA and the capacity its wines have of surprising the entire world.

German Master of Wine in Portugal

The German master sommelier Hendrik Thoma came to Portugal to select the 50 best portuguese wines to sell in Germany.

Germany is on the 7 º place of export destination of portuguese wines and in 2 º when it comes to exporting still wines, with an overall market growth of 11.7 % in value. The three years goal for this market is to grow 14 % using an investment of 260 million euros.

Hendrik Thoma talked about portuguese wines
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The acclaimed wine critic, Henrick Thoma, explained his relationship with portuguese wine has almost 20 years and he has predicted the explosion of quality that happen within our wine market. "The Germans have a positive view of portuguese wines” explained the sommelier, “many of them come into contact with these wines on vacation, then come home and have difficulty finding them".

The expert revealed the secret of growing the portuguese wine market share in Germany: working that which differentiate us. We should implement the notion that the portuguese ​​grape varieties are diverse and unique and that they are USP - Unique Selling Product. As long as the portuguese wines maintain an “unique style” they have no direct competitors in the German market.

Hendrick Thoma points out as their favorite the Alentejo wines, although first known Douro wines and then the regions of Dão, Bairrada and Vinho Verde.

The wine reviewer believes that the way to convince major buyers and sommeliers Germans to put portuguese wines in their restaurants is to show them the portuguese cuisine accompanied by fine portuguese wines. Many of them are unaware of our national culture and products, so the answer is to educate them and to convey an image of credibility and the idea that one can believe in portuguese wine.