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Pssst...Buy Portuguese
Poor Portugal - although one of the oldest and most established wine region in the world (try 2000 BC), Americans don't give her a second thought when it comes to wines. Pity.
Portuguese Wines - A Snapshot
- Portugal has over 500 native grape varietals
- Portugal has the oldest appellation system in the world (soundly beating France by over 200 years)
- Portugual produces over half the world's supply of natural cork and 90% of the corks used for US wines (won't be finding many wines under screwcap from this country
- While France and Italy churn nearly 50% of the world's exported wine, Portugal ships just about 4%
- Portugal has over 1 million acres of vines
- The famed Champagne House, Louis Roederer has a vineyard in Portugal called Ramos Pinto Cellars
- As does the famed Bordeaux producer Lynch-Bages (Xisto)
- The bill for a celebration party for the 55 drafters of the US Constitution was for 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of Bordeaux, 8 bottles of whiskey, 22 bottles of Port, 8 bottles of hard cider, 12 beers and seven bowls of alcohol punch large enough that "ducks could swim in them." (aside from the Port reference, has nothing to do with Portugal. I just like that fact.)
The Portuguese industry has seen some significant strides in quaility and innovation since 1986 when they joined the European Union. After that time, their smaller controlling wine trade associations gave way to larger promotional agencies such ViniPortugal and Institute for Wine and Wines, which liberated her wine industry by infusing cash, and reducing the powerful roles of co-ops which allowed the smaller producers to thrive. And thrive they did.
Next entry I'll tell you a bit more about Portugal's wine turn-around, chat about some interesting Portuguese grapes that will make you turn your back on Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course--
I'll recommend some can't miss Vino Vixen Values from Portugal that will rock your world!
Cheers,
VV
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