As one of the top three European wine destinations for travelers, Portugal has a global appeal – and thise travelers are getting a taste of the fantastic wines of this country.
Portugal is considered one of the most dynamic wine countries in Europe, with over 250 native grape varieties and 14 wine regions. In 2021, the trade publication Drinks Business reported that the country has “embarked upon a revolution”, moving beyond its reputation for Port and producing ambitious, terroir-driven wines that rival the best from other European countries.
I had the pleasure of learning more about the fantastic wine region of Portugal from Kelly Lewis, Owner of the importer Cask & Compass.
Why do you think Portugal is an up-and-coming wine region?
Portugal has a centuries-long tradition of viticulture and viniculture, and is well known for Port wine, but only joined the EU in 1986! This brought about a DO system for quality control and huge investments in the wine sector. Winemakers started using modern winery techniques and equipment and this created a transformational improvement in quality. Winemakers in Portugal today are highly trained, well traveled and passionate about producing wine that showcases the indigenous grapes and the varied terroir of the country. Many Europeans have known about the quality in Portugal for a decade or more but it is taking a little longer to gain this reputation in the United States.
What advantages or special attributes do you see?
1) Portuguese wine is typically a fantastic value. Wine costs are increasing globally and tariffs will add even more, but many wines from Portugal are of a higher quality than their price suggests, or than their similarly priced competition.
2) Portugal is the leading European country, on a per unit area basis, for growing indigenous grape varieties, with more than 250 native varieties planted. Native Portuguese varieties are not related to the Middle Eastern or Caucasus Mountains varieties. This means that there are a lot of new and exciting flavors to explore!
3) The Vitis Silvestris rootstock on which many of the native grapes grow is unique, evolved in isolation on the Iberian peninsula.
4) Portugal’s climate and wealth of soil types are very well suited for growing grapes. The best sites have enough sun and warmth to allow the grapes to fully ripen while also experiencing sea breezes or cooler nights that help preserve acidity in the grapes and freshness in the wine.
Why did you choose to import Portuguese wines into the area?
Wines from Portugal are traditionally under-represented in bottle shops and on restaurants’ wine lists but they are such a good value! I’m setting out to change this. The challenge is partly that the grape varietals are different and hard to pronounce, and partly that humans are creatures of habit and tend to gravitate toward the familiar. But many locals have been to Portugal in the past decade, experienced some of the wonderful food and wine culture and want to recreate that back at home. The wines I’ve selected represent the kind of wine my friends and I want to drink now. We’re drinking less overall so we want quality wines with finesse, balance and freshness at an affordable price. These are wines that are refreshing and food-friendly, and the label art (from the artist who designs U2’s productions) is just fantastic. I’ve considered calling them ‘post-modern’ wines because they are intentionally not showy like some of the very concentrated, oaky styles that captured attention and high ratings from many critics. I’m counting on the Seacoast to be adventurous enough to give these wines a try and maybe find some new favorites.
Want to learn more about Portuguese wines?
Visit Wines of Portugal | A world of difference – winesofportugal.com
