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EDITORIAL
PHILIPPE GAILLARD - EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
PORTUGAL, A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Portugal is now very much up there in the big international
league. The days when locals drank virtually all
of the country’s wines, bar a few thousand hectolitres of
Port – a popular tipple with the English and the French
– are now long gone.
The inception of the Portuguese wine trade organisation,
officially recognised by a Ministry of Agriculture decree,
marked a turning point in 1996. Local appellations were
then harmonised with EU legislation, cementing the
quality policy of Portuguese wines. The regional wine
commissions followed shortly after and would play a
fundamental part in developing the quality and prestige
of Portuguese wines, which boast 31 appellations and 12
geographical indications. Concurrently with this, a new
generation of producers and winemakers were trained in
Portuguese universities, further enhancing the standard
and consistency of Portuguese wines.
This appetite for export has been fuelled by a number of
very favourable factors, including myriad native grape
varieties whose popularity in international markets has
not waned. Portugal and its weather also act as a magnet
for holidaymakers, drawing many wine enthusiasts
to the country. Similarly, its very competitive pricing
compared with its well-established European counterparts
is an advantage, as is the fierce determination to
secure international endorsement for the nation’s wines
and to continue to ramp up quality. There is no denying
that Portugal’s gamble is paying off!
SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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