Tag: Portugal

Enroute to the Vinho Verde Region [Portugal]

Heading northwest to the Vinho Verde region today. This regions spans from the Atlantic coast to the mountainous interior and iis shaped by a cool, wet climate and granitic soils that give rise to wines with distinct freshness and character.
 
Geography and Sub-Regions
Vinho Verde lies within the broader Minho region and borders the Douro Valley and Trás-os-Montes to the East, and the Dão & Lafões region to the South. The region is segmented into nine sub-regions, each contributing its own microclimatic influence and grape-growing identity:


·       Monção and Melgaço
·       Lima
·       Basto
·       Cávado
·       Ave
·       Amarante
·       Baião
·       Sousa
·       Paiva

From coastal vineyards to inland hills, these areas showcase incredible diversity in soil, elevation, and style.

Wine Styles: From Classic to Cutting-Edge
Vinho Verde is traditionally celebrated for its crisp, low-alcohol white wines, often lightly effervescent and youthful in spirit. These wines, especially those made from Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Arinto are the perfect companions for fresh seafood.
Yet today’s Vinho Verde is far from one-dimensional. Winemakers are pushing boundaries, crafting orange wines, pet-nat sparklers, and oak-aged whites that rival more established categories. This evolution reflects the region’s balance of deep-rooted heritage and dynamic innovation.

What’s in a Name?
“Vinho Verde” translates to “green wine,” but the term doesn’t refer to the color, instead, it captures the region’s essence: youthful, vibrant, and fresh. It’s a style that’s alive with acidity and minerality, echoing the region’s verdant landscape and Atlantic breezes.

World of Wine (WOW) Cultural District in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto

Just arrived at the World of Wine (WOW) Cultural District in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto!

This vibrant cultural hub features seven unique museums that celebrate the best of Portuguese heritage, wine, cork, chocolate, and more:

The Wine Experience
Where you can dive into the history and diversity of Portuguese wine.

Planet Cork
Where you can discover the wonders of Portugal’s cork industry.


Porto Region Across the Ages
This is where you can travel through time with Porto’s rich cultural evolution.


The Bridge Collection
**My Favorite
Where you can explore 2,000+ drinking vessels and social rituals across civilizations.


Pink Palace
This is a fun, immersive journey into the world of rosé.


The Chocolate Story
From bean to bar, here you can experience the magic of chocolate.


The Atkinson Museum
Where you can delve into the legacy of the Atkinson brand and its ties to Porto.

WOW also includes 12 restaurants and bars, boutique shops, wine school, and event spaces, all with breathtaking views over Porto.

Can’t wait to start exploring!

Website for further details: https://www.wow.pt/

AliveTaste’25 – Porto, Portugal

I’m heading to Porto today participate in the 9th Edition of @Alivetaste_com in Portugal!

I’ll be exploring the wine regions of Vinho Verde and Douro; visiting top wine producers, dining at some of Portugal’s most celebrated restaurants, and luxury hotels.

The journey culminates at the enchanting gardens of the Palácio do Freixo in Porto, where the annual event brings celebration of flavors and aromas with some of Portugal’s best wine producers and renowned chefs. This event will be a true celebration of Portuguese gastronomy and wine excellence and I’m thrilled to participate!

Stay tuned for highlights, tastings, and behind-the-scenes moments!

For further information about the event: https://alivetaste.com/

Liz Palmer

Porto Wins “Best City Destination in World 2022” Travel Awards

The City of Porto was voted the “Best City Destination in the World 2022” at the ‘World Travel Awards’ ceremony a few weeks ago.

In a statement, the local municipality said that Porto was given the title of the Best City Destination in the World for 2022, ahead of cities such as Acapulco, Cancún and Mazatlán (Mexico), Bogotá (Colombia), Quito (Ecuador), Cape Town ( South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Las Vegas, Miami and New York (United States of America), Hanoi (Vietnam), Hong Kong (China), Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), Queenstown (New Zealand), London (England), Lyon (France), Marrakech (Morocco) and Lisbon.

The ceremony of the ‘World Travel Awards’, also known as the ‘Oscars’ of tourism, brought together the main decision-makers and prominent figures in the sector.

The councillor responsible for Tourism and Internationalization of the Porto Chamber, Catarina Santos Cunha, received the award on behalf of the municipality, and the president of the Porto Tourism Association, Luís Pedro Martins, was also present at the ceremony.

“The distinctions in over thirty categories in the European edition of the World Travel Awards 2022 is of particular significance after the difficult pandemic years. It is with pride that we see our tourism companies and professionals being acknowledged by their international peers,” said Rita Marques, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services.

“All the agents of the sector are to be congratulated for meeting the challenge of consolidating Portugal as a tourist destination of excellence, in whatever circumstances.”

#portugal #travel #travelawards #porto #visitportugal #travelgram #tourism #winetourism #winelovers #wine #VisitPorto #turismoportoenorte #visitportugal #visitaportugal #worldtravelawards #europesleadingcitydestination #worldsleadingcitydestination

Wines of Portugal Annual Tasting [London] March 29th, 2022

After almost 2 years without coming to the market as a group, Portuguese wine producers are eager to show what they’ve been working on these last few months.

Portuguese wine exports have rocketed to a historical global level of 925 million euros in 2021 (+8.11% vs 2020). And there’s more good news, specifically for the UK, as 10.58% of all Portuguese wines exported come to this market, making it the 3rd biggest market for Portugal (after France and the US).

The Annual Tasting will take place on March 29th, at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone (London, W1H 1PQ), being the first Wines of Portugal tasting to take place worldwide. Historically, it is a very important tasting, reflecting the importance of the UK market for Portuguese wine exports and it happens the year the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance celebrates its 650th anniversary.

Presenting 70 producers, from 10 different wine regions, and more than 600 wines, the day will be an opportunity to get a sense of what’s new, trendy and what has been moving Portuguese winemakers, as well as to taste the new vintages. There will be a mixture of completely new wines and iconic wines that have built the reputation of Portuguese wines over the years.

Complementing this program, Wines of Portugal is organizing two masterclasses to show the diversity of Portuguese wines and why they are so suitable for the on-trade.

Registration:  https://bit.ly/3tlUUBR

#masterclass #wine #winetasting #wineevent #LondonUK #port #uk #portuguesewines #portugal #winesofportugal #vinho #winelovers #vinhosdeportugal #douro #redwine #whitewine #instawine #winetourism #dourovalley #winetime #winetrade #winejournalist #wineeducation