Premiumisation arrives in Portugal

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 04 March, 2020

Portugal’s wine drinkers have upped their spending significantly over the last two years, according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

Across a range of off-trade occasions, those who drink wine more than once a month are seeking higher price points, the report reveals.

Between 2017 and 2019, the average spend on a bottle of wine to accompany ‘an informal meal at home jumped 13% from €3.76 to €4.26. At the same time, the average for a bottle for ‘a relaxing drink at home at the end of the day’ rose 9.8% from €4.18 to €4.59.

Wine for ‘a more formal dinner party at home’ was up 7.6% from €6.12 to €6.59.

Wine Intelligence also reports that its tracking measures reveal growing interest in trying new and different styles of wine from Portuguese consumers, with consumer engagement on the rise too.

Possible drivers for these trends include the greater volume of consumer-focused promotions such as tastings and wine festivals, as well as the growth in wine tourism. The country had 12.8 million visitors in 2018, its highest number ever.

Luis Osorio, Portugal country manager for Wine Intelligence, said: “The data paints an encouraging picture for Portugal’s wine industry, though producers need to be mindful of the change in consumer behaviour towards a more occasional and thoughtful relationship with wine.”

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