"Portuguese wine is one of a kind"

The Financial Times journalist has claimed the Portuguese wines as one of a kind. But (and there is always a “but” in great stories) they have to be more aware of their target markets in order to be more competitive.

Jancis Robinson says Portuguese wine is unique
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The journalist Jancis Robinson attended the international wine fair in Celorico da Beira, Portugal, where she opted not say her favourite Portuguese wine region, but she had a strong point to make about the quality and diversity of Portuguese wines.

One of the most influential wine critics of the world told that our wines are “very unique and interesting flavour one which you can’t find anywhere else in the world”. During the fair, the Financial Times journalist took the time to pay compliments to producers for resisting temptation to use foreign grape varieties and for accomplishing the perfect balance of oak flavour.

Although Jancis believes that the quality of Portuguese wines are improving by the hour, Portuguese producers have a huge need to understand their target markets. They need to have a competitive strategies, they need to know their strengths and their weaknesses in relation to other wines in the market.

She went on to say that the Portuguese wines can’t just been “thrown” into the markets, instead the producers need to choose carefully the product they want to put out there considering each market uniqueness’s. “They need to see the product from the point view of the consumer” said the reporter.

Also, the producers need to know about the products out there they are competing against. “They can't be always drinking their wine otherwise they will have no knowledge of their opponent”. Jancis encouraged Portuguese producers to drink each other wines and to make constructive critics.

Douro wine's exports rose 17%

Great news for Douro wines!

Exports have risen 17% in the first semester of 2014 compared to 2013. The President of Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho told the media that the Douro wines are growing due to the international and national recognition that they have been awarded is the past few years. Last year, for the first time, Douro Wine made more than 100 million euros in sales. Angola, Canada, United States of America, Germany and Switzerland are the country that have seek out more of this kind of wines.

Douro wines exports rose 17%
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Promoting wines from Douro has been the main focus of various enterprises that deal in wine exportation. They have really done their jobs well. Of course, Douro wines doesn't owes all to marketing and promotion. Much of the success this wine are having are due to the hard work of its producers and to the quality of theirs grapes varieties. Portugal is in high demand and specially northern Portugal seems to have stricken a cord amongst tourists everywhere.

The President of IVV concludes that there might be no wine lover that doesn't have a positive impression of the DOP wine from Douro. “You just have to take a look at comments, articles, ratings and medals to see that these wines are winners everywhere."

Women are taking over the wine industry

Female perspectives on wine
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It’s a man’s world, no more! The wine industry is in the process of being reborn.  What was a highly aristocratic and a men’s exclusive environment is now an energetic new sector that has behind it the vibrant voices of women.

According to the latest statistics over at the Institute of Masters of Wine women are taking over the cellars. Besides the fact that there are only 91 females who carry the title of master of Wine, the last batch of candidates of the world most exclusive wine club suggests there might be a shift in the wine world: women are stepping up.  Of the 302 candidates, 171 were women and 131 were men that may hint that the men might be outnumbered in classes this year.

The fresh female perspectives are shaping the industry and their opinion, their blogs and their executive decisions are being heard and influencing the latest trends.

Wine in heels

The actual trend in the wine industry is taking the wine from the exclusive clubs to the streets and females are the biggest contributor of this wine’s revolution. Women are turning wine into something cool and opening the consumer hearts and minds to it. Also, the wine’s blogs have contributed a whole lot to these changes, there are more wine blogs and wine sites run by women which are taking over the whole show.

Recently, six women in the wine business were featured on a Wine Enthusiast profile article, they are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that taking up a role in the traditional boy’s clubs it’s a hard task, so they need to unite. There are all sorts of supportive community’s such as Women & Wine and Women & WineSense. This change has been noted in restaurants too, where the sommelier used to be a man’s job but now it is more frequently a women.

Women have been the great target of wine’s marketing campaigns, we all know that, but  now, more and more women are influencing the way and what we drink, they are becoming the decision makers themselves.

Pairing Portuguese wines with international food

The Portuguese wines have undeniable quality and we all appreciate them. The numbers speak for themselves as their consumption has increased worldwide by 38,4% in 2011, according to the IWSR - International Wine and Spirit Record, while compared with an earlier study in 2007, and it has continually increased in the last two years.

The inheritance of indigenous vine varieties, is appointed by wine experts as a key distinctive factor in comparison with other wine producing countries.

Today, we provide some insight into how to match Portuguese wine with international cuisine dishes.Knowing how and when to have a Portuguese wine can make all the difference to your drinking experience. We picked some popular international dishes and paired them with the most appreciated Portuguese wine types. Have a go and find out how you can have a much enjoyable moment with Portuguese wines.

Food and wine pairing chart
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When we think of Asian Cuisine, garlic, spices, sweet, sour and salty flavours come to our minds. Good news is that there are many Portuguese wines  that go really well with this sort of food. For instance , Vinho Verde which  is a young, refreshing, light wine with low alcohol, often fizzy with fresh acidity, and as such, offers a great contrast to these tasty foods with great, full flavours. To point out the aromatic grapes Alvarinho, with tropical notes, and Loureiro, with floral notes,  which are especially pleasant with these style of  food. Vinho Verde should be served chilled.

Asian inspired stir-fry
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Another great match are the wines containing Fernão Pires grapes such as the ones from Lisboa, Bairrada regions, that have citrus aromas and fresh notes, providing a perfect combination with Asian dishes. Seafood and Fish lovers will be pleased to know that white wines are often a first choice when it comes to choosing a companion for fish. However, red wines should not be forgotten as these are a perfect match  for some kinds of seafood such as squid, octopus or tuna. Sparkling wines from the wine region Bairrada, or red Vinho Verde are also very appreciated with grilled fish.

Mediterranean food flavours
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Red meats are a key ingredient in many international dishes. This is as diverse as game, lamb, beef, pork, offal, charcuterie and rusted meats, and all are best combined with red wines. Within The Reds  there's plenty of choice from full -bodied reds such as the ones from Alentejo and the upper regions of Douro and Tejo, which are very rich, dense and oak-aged, to robust reds,  from Douro and Trás-os-Montes with complex flavours. These wines are very ripe with lots of body, matching  perfectly with these strong  flavoured dishes. Red wines are very rich in tannins, especially from Bairrada and Douro, and become softer as they age.Red wines are a good choice with French Cuisine, such as meat and cheese based dishes.

Similarly, Italian food and its Mediterranean flavours are frankly boosted while consumed with red wine.

Poultry recipes are best served with red wines known as “elegant”.  In this category falls red wine from Dão, intensely flavoured with good acidity and balance, and also Península de Setúbal, made from the grape castelão, fruit driven and aimed to be consumed in their youth. 

If your preference goes to salads and vegetable dishes should be looking for dry, fruity rosés or sparkling wines. The acidity and slight sweetness of these wine types fits the natural sweetness present in these dishes.

And to finalise what can you have with your favourite dessert?

This moment calls for some sort of sweet wine or liqueur, we suggest Moscatel from Setúbal, a Port or Madeira wine.

They are a perfect combination with your end meal whether it is chocolate, cake, fruit or even nuts. 

Now that you have got our tips on how to match Portuguese wine with international food, start making your own combinations, you are guaranteed to be delighted!

As the French would say: “Bon appétit!”

Watch out for upcoming hot topics on Portuguese wine.

Promotion of portuguese products will be funded by the EU

The European Commission has approved 20 initiatives to promote agricultural products inside and outside the community. Portuguese wine and olive oil will receive 851 thousand € from Brussels.

The 20 approved programs will enjoy a budget of 46 million euros, half of that will be funded by the European Union. Two actions to promote portuguese products got the green light from the European Community to receive the funding required for its realization. They will receive the amount of more than $ 1.6 million, 851 thousand € of which, will come directly from Brussels.

European Union will fund the promotion of portuguese wine
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As to the portuguese programs, the Association of Port Wine, responsible for the promotion of this wine on the domestic market, will receive a total of 281.780 euros. The other action promoting portuguese products focuses on olive oil and was developed by Alentejo Regional Wine Commission and Casa do Azeite. This action will take on as a main objective the markets of Germany, UK, Sweden, Poland and the domestic market, also. The two programs will have a total of almost € 1.4 million, approximately 681 euros of which are EU funds.

The 20 programs were selected from a set of 33 projects submitted by November 30, 2013 and were a part of the first wave of presentations within the system of information and promotion of agricultural products, for the year 2014. Such actions will take place over the period of 3 years.

Programs will highlight the specific advantages of EU products related to criteria such as quality, health and safety. According to the European Union, all of the actions were aimed at promoting organic products, wine, milk, flowers, products made from cereals and rice and even products classified as PDO (Protected Denomination of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geografical Indication). The promotion of campaigns outside the limits of the EU, will aim to reach  North America, Russia, China, Middle East, Southeast Asia, India and Turkey markets.

New record for wine exports

Portuguese wine exports grew by 2.4 % in 2013, setting a new national record of 724 million of euros, according to the president of the Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho in the inaugural conference of Uva d’Ouro.

This growth has encouraged domestic wine producers and distributors to participate in international events in order to establish a connection with potential importers and as a way to boost the appreciation of "Made in Portugal” wines. “Despite the fall in domestic consumption, it did not affect exports and the image of Portuguese wine out there", explained the president of the IVV, Frederico Falcão.

Barriers to export

China is an emergent market for portuguese wine
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Excluding the usual cultural barriers, the president of IVV explained that exporting requires an investment of time and capital. "You have to know the market, establish trusts, measure the result of actions, all of this could take years," recalls Frederick Falcão.

Manuela Cabral, president of the Douro and Porto Wine Institute emphasizes the cultural barriers and the different forms of closing a deal in, for example, eastern markets. There is a need to study these cultures and to find a way to make them more receptive to western products. "These different realities can be beneficial because when a wine is well known recognized in a certain country could pave the way for other portuguese wine" claims the president “and could even pave the way for other portuguese products and wine tourism too".

Relevant domestic consumption

The domestic consumption of wine fell by 5 % in Portugal especially with the decreasing sales in the horeca channel and the retail trade. "The portuguese consumer is on a basic state" said the chairman, Manuela Cabral, “but it has potential to grow."

Producers and distributors have not lost sight of trends in the domestic consumption. Despite being a sector hit by the economic crisis, about 77 % of wine sales take place in supermarkets and 33 % of retail sales are done in the format of bag in box. The president of the Douro and Port Wine Institute also noted that portuguese consumers are sensitive to consumer promotional activities.

Strengthening the Portugal brand

Sonae, together with various media organs, organized the Uva d’ouro iniciative that aims to meet the existing need of the customer to easily identify award winning wines on the shelves of supermarkets. The experience had a positive return for Sonae which saw sales increase once the awarded wines were easily identifiable.

"Wine’s category is one of the most important for a chain of hypermarkets because it’s one that creates very strong emotional bonds with customers," reinforce João Paulo, Marketing Director of Sonae. “We already know that the portuguese wine has great quality and we appreciate it” he adds further, “the creation of strong brands, as we are doing, has an important part in improving the brand 'Portugal', out there".

Portuguese wines won 28 medals in Latin America

Portuguese wine stood out in the VII International Wine Competition in Brazil, which was held at the Hotel & Spa do Vinho in the Vale dos Vinhedos, Serra Gaúcha. Portugal earned 28 medals in total, being the second most awarded country.

Portuguese wines won 28 medals in Brazil
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The initiative was organized by Brazilian Enology and Inner Publisher Association, which is responsible for several publications of the sector, during the 8th and 11th April. The event is the largest wine competition in Latin America and included 709 samples from 78 countries, representing an increase of 41% compared to the previous edition.

The results of the VII International Wine Competition of Brazil will be widely disseminated during the Expovinis 2014, an event that will take place in the next 22^nd to 24^th of April.

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.

Dão’s wines best harvest is in the making

Dão's 2013 harvest is the best
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Everything has aligned for the 2013 crop of Dão wine’s. The climate variations which have surfaced over the past year in Portugal, may have resulted in the best crop of Dão wine of all time.

The producers of the region name the persistent rain as the main reason for the general disappointment that had settled between them, in the middle of the season.  José Perdigão, producer Quinta do Perdigão, said that the producers had to be strong to watch the rain menace their harvest.

Fortunately, near the end of the season there was a drastic change in the climate and it seems, now, that the year of 2013 will be the ideal year for this wines. For example, the white wines of Dão have an above-average quality due to the high level of alcohol which was caused by the temperature rise registered at the end of the harvest. This dehydrated grapes and concentrated alcohol, resulting in high colored and full-bodied wines.

The winery Quinta do Perdigão can be regarded as a reference for what will happen in the region. This house has experienced great success in Nordic countries and has been awarded a score of 90 points by the most influential critics so, it seems that this region will have a fantastic year.

The investment in equipment and training by small producers as well as by the cooperative association has indeed paid off.  Also, it has had a positive impact on exports numbers.  José Perdigão says Dão was never this competent or had so many reputable brands like nowadays. He believes that the key is to maintain the quality and don’t forget that this success comes only from hard work.

Vinho Verde exports to the UK rises

2013 proved to be an excellent year for Vinho Verde with a double digit rise in exports to the UK market. The Vinho Verde wine region reported that production rose and the volumes put out grew by 13% and value sales jumped to 21% to 1.3 million pounds compared to the numbers obtained in 2012.

Globally, exports of Vinho Verde wine have grown by 63% in volume and 91% in value over the last ten years which is a very significant increase and accounts for 36 % of the total business last year, explained Manuel Pinheiro, executive president of the Viticulture Comission of the Vinho Verde Region.

Vinho Verde Region
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Vinho Verde is a unique product. It is the result of climate characteristics of Portugal, the grape varieties mixture and the vine growing methods that accomplished the perfect blend between the aroma and pettilance. This kind of wine contains a medium value of alcohol and has great digestive proprieties because of its freshness, slight fizz and special qualities.  The red Vinho Verde wines normally are full-bodied wines with a great definition in color and rose or light red foam on top. The white wines of this region are usually recognized by the color similar to the color of lemons or grass. Vinho Verde wine is very popular in the warmer seasons, people usually prefer to drink it in the summer time due to its freshness, distinctive taste and cool personality.

The growth in the figures of the UK exports of this wine is reflective of the promotional campaign that Vinho Verde had on for the last three years. It shows that the quality message is getting through to the target audience and people are experimenting with the new wines that this region has to offer, said the president of the CVRVV. 

Innovative method expands oil shell life

Innovative method expands shell life
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José Restolho, a Portuguese PhD student majored in Pharmacy from the University of Lisbon, created an ecological method to increase the shelf life of the oil.

The major innovation in this process is that there is no contact between the oil and aromatic herbs (or other substances), which extends the shelf life of the product and turns the process into a more sustainable and healthy technique. Another finding of this project was the creating of new odors. Vinegars and olive oils with scents it’s not news but there were made with new aromas like coffee and cinnamon.

The professionals believe that if the oil is going to be developed according to this method, it will reach more target markets, where before it was not included in the gastronomy.

Portugal’s exportations of olive oil are increasing. The annual numbers of oil exportation are 343€ million, which, in the agronomy sector, is only surpassed by wine exportations.

Media giants promote Portuguese wines in Brazil

PÚBLICO e O Globo are going to host the event
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Two renowned newspapers have joined forces in promoting the wine event, Rio Vinhos Portugal, which goal is to put Portuguese wine at center stage in Brazil’s markets. The Portuguese communications giant, Público, has team up with another giant from across the seas, the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, to put together this event at Palácio São Clemente, where up to 50 Portuguese producers are going to be present.

Rio Vinhos Portugal is going to take place between 23 and 25 of May and has the ambitious goal of attracting 5 thousand consumers and wine professionals. Portuguese wines hold a market share of 12.5% in the Brazilian market, taking up the 4th position amongst the major wine producers like China, Argentina and France. On the other hand, in 2013, over 29% of the wine traded was Portuguese.

Portugal is going to discover Brazil all over again. The event wants to show off the modern Portuguese wine market and increase its visibility overseas. The deadline for signing up for Rio Vinhos Portugal is March 14,  you can do it on ViniPortugal.

"Portuguese wines are the next best thing!"

Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO and wine know-it-all, says that "Portugal is the next place for great wine".

He talks about the excellent price/quality ratio that our wines have in the US markets. Portuguese wines bring quality that can face the wine giants in the market at a great price.

"Why have the people not discover the wines from Douro?" Gary shows off our county, it's incredible diversity of wine regions and our grape varieties. The reviews on this video were made with wines form Douro and Alentejo colorful and very descriptive only possible with Portuguese wines.

Essência do Vinho 2014 - Deliciously lost in a Wine Fair

The Portuguese Wine attended Essência do Vinho 2014 edition, a prestigious wine fair where you can taste the marvelous Portuguese wine.

The event takes place in Palácio da Bolsa in Porto, a magnificent palace, near Ribeira, the perfect setting for this gathering of wine professionals. 

The presence of 350 producers from different nationalities gives the possibility to taste, exchange experiences and share knowledge, that will go on until March 2nd. On the programme you can find conferences on the subject, workshops, guided wine tastings with a wine specialist, wine pairings, wine talks by the glass etc. This is great for wine professionals striving to improve their knowledge. 

Our team made many contacts, once again, which hopefully will turn out to be the beginning of long and successful friendships.

Essência do Vinho 2014 - ThePortugueseWine has arrived!

Port Wine - Madeira

Monte Seco - H&H Wine

Wine Experience in Portugal - Something to look forward to!

Mirabilis Great Reserve/Grande Reserva wine

ThePortugueseWine has left the building...

Essência do Vinho - We will see you there!

Essência do Vinho is a change to meet professionals of the area
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Meet The Portuguese Wine team at Essência do Vinho - Porto, 27 Feb - 2 March. 

This is a great chance to discover some of the best Portuguese wines, olive oil and gourmet foods.

Our export manager Pedro Ramires will be attending the event, so if you think we can do something for you, feel free contact him on info@theportuguesewine.com or +351911962950.

The event, in its 11th edition, promises to take you through a journey into some of the best portuguese flavours and others. This year, there will be a series of themed activities leaded by top wine experts.

Some reasons why you shouldn't miss Essência do Vinho:

- The top ten Portuguese wines will be selected, by a panel of international experts

- 3.000 wines for taste and 350 producers to discover

- Last but not the least, you can meet our team and get to know our outstanding products.

We will see you there!

Wine is our best attraction

Our best kept secret is wine

Our best keptsecret is wine! International specialists within the sector appointed wine as Portugal's best attraction. While sea and sun are still major features when  it comes  to choosing  a holiday destination, our wine is our invitation card.

This outcome came from a study conducted by IPDT, Instituto do Turismo, released last friday, where 37% of international operators said that wine is the best argument when promoting our tourism abroad, and 31% even pointed out that wine is closely related to Portuguese tourism.

António Jorge Costa, the president of  IPDT , said that this results from the work developed in the sector by wine entrepreneurs as well as policy makers themselves.

 The Portuguese Wine invites you to discover Portugal's best attraction.

Sisab 2014 - Our Review

Sisab - Our review

"Our  presence at Sisab 2014 can only be classified as outstanding"

Pedro Ramires

Export manager, The Portuguese Wine

The event turned out to be a great chance for networking. The Portuguese Wine team made many contacts, and most of them very promising. All visitors had the opportunity to taste our wines, olive oil and gourmet foods.  The quality of our products was noticied as was our  image and concept ― We invited all visitors to discover "Our best kept secret". This motto captured the attention of all and worked as a great starting point when approaching the visitors.

Sisab Portugal is growing as is the exportation of Portuguese products. It is a meeting point for entrepreneurs looking for all sorts of products made in Portugal.

Some facts and figures:

- 550 Portuguese producers

- 1500 importers

- 110 Countries

-  600 National companies

- 28 Sectors

- 4.000 Brands and Products

- 16.000 Labels and Packaging solutions

- 2.000 International Buyers

- 450 States and Regions.

Sisab 2014 was part of our events program lined up for 2014. The Portuguese Wine will take part in many specialized events to be announced throughout the year.

Vintage 2011: world domination!

Vintage 2011 - a great year for Port

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The website Dinheiro Vivo made a statement that can't come as a surprise to anyone who likes Port wine : the 2011 vintage will rule the world !

Ok, we got carried away for just a second there! But what is a fact is that the port wine vintage 2011 , it's a case of successful sales around the world. With almost half of the total units sold, a total of 27 000 cases, the 2011 vintage is likely to be the most wanted item this Christmas, as the company admits to have just a few units left to sell . The peak in this win demand  normally occurs in the few days before Christmas time, there's a risk of being without the typical gift that always makes you look cool.

The usual second phase of selling these wines usually saved up for the first months of the year may not happen this time! Therefore , the motto is "grab a bottle of vintage or so goodbye until the next " .

The producers of this wine celebrate this success but without allowing themselves to be carried away as the port wine sector is still in crisis, with increasing downfall of the sales. As the owner of Graham's stated, we can be facing a turning point but the sector still has problems and we need to manage the business strategy in order to take advantage of this kind of results .

Go to a grocery store now. Run!

Alentejo: a region to discover!

Alentejo: the wine region that you have to know! 

On that note, we have a treat for you: this video, from "Rotas do Vinho" show, where you can see and hear (but not taste, unfortunately) everything.

You can use the subtitles feature in you tube by clicking on the button and selecting translated subtitles option for English, for example.

For more information on these kind of wines, click here! Enjoy!

Come wine tasting with us!

Wines of Portugal Annual Tasting in London
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On march 5th there will be held the 2014 Wines of Portugal Annual Tasting in RHS Lindley Hall, Victoria in London.With more than 130 Portuguese wine producers present this event is set to be a success.

It's a great opportunity to talk to any of the producers, taste their wines and the opportunity to explore our diversity.

For any additioWines of Portugal website or go through any social networks!
nal information you can visit