Portugal - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Festa and the future of wine tastings

Published: 27 June, 2022

Last weekend a landmark wine festival, Festa, opened its doors for a celebration of Portuguese wine in London’s Tabacco Dock.

Paul Symington Awarded a CMG in the Queen’s Honours List

Published: 06 June, 2022

Paul Symington has been awarded a CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List, published 2 June, for services to UK/Portugal relations and social, environmental sustainability in the Douro.

Arribaes: The New frontier of Iberian fine wines

Published: 08 April, 2022

It is known as Arribes del Duero in Spanish, and Arribas Do Douro in Portuguese, but now Iberian producers in this cross-frontier wine region have joined forces to create Arribaes, a new brand of low-intervention fine wines.

Portuguese wine is perfectly poised for the on-trade, says Oz Clarke

Published: 30 March, 2022

Oz Clarke, the wine writer and presenter, waxed lyrical about the wonders of Portuguese wine during a masterclass on Tuesday, explaining to the audience why the on-trade should sit up and take notice.

Portuguese wine festival, Festa, announces inaugural line-up

Published: 04 March, 2022

A ground-breaking celebration of Portuguese wine, gastronomy and culture, will be held at Tobacco Dock, in Wapping, London, from June 24-25. The inaugural edition of FESTA will pay tribute to festivals, which are at the heart of traditional Portuguese culture.

Sogevinus declares 2020 a ‘classic’ vintage

Published: 03 March, 2022

Port company the Sogevinus group has announced the launch of four classic Vintage Ports, one from each of its brands: Kopke, Burmester, Cálem and Barros.

Justerini & Brooks expands Portuguese range with three new agencies

Published: 10 February, 2022

Leading importer Justerini & Brooks will distribute three niche Portuguese wine brands in the UK, in anticipation of rising consumer demand.

Landmark Portuguese wine festival 'FESTA' to take place in June

Published: 13 January, 2022

London’s Tobacco Dock will host an inaugural consumer-led festival in June, dedicated to Portugal’s wine, gastronomy, music and arts. The event is set to coincide with the Festa de São João, a famous event within Porto’s calendar where thousands travel to the city and surrounding neighbourhoods to celebrate Porto's patron saint, John the Baptist.

Hatch Mansfield welcomes new Portuguese agency

Published: 15 December, 2021

UK importer Hatch Mansfield has expanded its portfolio with the addition of Portuguese wine brand Esporão.

Long Read: What to do about fortified wines' straitened market?

Published: 23 September, 2021

Jacopo Mazzeo looks at what regions such as the Douro and Jerez are doing to survive in a market increasingly hostile to fortified wines and explores whether these efforts are effective. Port, for instance, is heading in two diametrically opposed directions: simplification and (extra) premiumisation, with new categories that span from youth-friendly RTDs to Tawny 50yo and White 50yo. Sherry meanwhile, has just changed a number of its regulations and now embraces unfortified wine.

Fladgate Partnership heralds return to “normal”, though warm winters and hail persist

Published: 21 September, 2021

The Fladgate Partnership has welcomed the return of normal weather conditions in the Douro, with a mild summer in 2021 allowing for differentiated ripening across vineyards and lending “flavour, elegance and natural acidity to the grapes”.

UK remains third biggest destination for Portuguese wine

Published: 01 September, 2021

The UK remained the third biggest destination for Portuguese wine in the first half of 2021 in value terms, according to new export data released by Wines of Portugal.

Cockburn’s introduces ‘experimental’ Port trio

Published: 29 July, 2021

Cockburn’s has produced a trio of experimental ports under the name Tails of the Unexpected.

Cartuxa joins Mentzendorff

Published: 12 July, 2021

Mentzendorff has taken on historic Alentejan brand Cartuxa, one of the oldest brands in Portugal.

Wines of Portugal promo boosts independent sales

Published: 08 July, 2021

Wines of Portugal is reportting sales uplift of +286% in volume and +300% in value at participating retailers that were specially selected for June’s month-long promotion.

Symington announces 2019 quinta vintage Ports

Published: 14 April, 2021

Symington Family Estates has announced that it has bottled six quinta vintage Ports from 2019, of which two will be released en primeur – Quinta do Vesúvio and Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira.

Covid fuels Portuguese thirst for premium wine

Published: 11 March, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has added fuel to a trend among regular Portuguese wine drinkers for more expensive wines, according to the latest Portugal Wine Landscapes 2021 report from Wine Intelligence.

UK Port sales rising

Published: 11 February, 2021

Port sales to the UK increased by 11.4% in volume and 2.8% in value in 2020, according to the Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP).

Portugal’s new wave

Published: 19 January, 2021

Ines Salpico reports on how the country’s winemakers are finally finding a balance between tradition and modernity

Port: Weathering the Covid storm

Published: 24 November, 2020

The UK remains at the forefront of the premium Port category, with sales of late-bottled vintage (LBV), quality white Port, aged tawnies, single vineyard and classic vintage ports, all remaining resilient through Covid. A nation of consumers stuck at home, looking to indulge, appears to have been largely positive for the quality end of UK Port sales. Built on a long-standing relationship with the UK, sales at Symington Family Estates are up 10% by value and 9% by volume compared with this time last year.