Portuguese wine mourns UK ambassador

Published: 05 January, 2011

Jose Leitao, one of Portuguese wine's leading ambassadors in the UK, has died aged 62.

Leitao, sales director at D&F Wine Shippers, spent some 30 years in the UK wine trade. In 2004 he founded the Association of Portuguese Wine Importers, along with Antonio Silva and Danny Cameron.

APWI chairman Cameron paid tribute to Leitao's "good humour and extensive knowledge of Portugal's wines".

He added: "Jose was to sit on the board of APWI every year since its inception, and without his enthusiasm, tenacity, knowledge and hard work, the association could not have performed its pivotal role in helping Portugal stamp its unique vinous character on this market.

"Many of the initiatives which the trade has gone on to embrace so well, such as Portugal's 50 Great Tasting, Portugal's Annual Wine Trade Awards and Portugal's Trade Bursaries all had their gestation in the APWI boardroom.

"Portugal has lost a friend and ambassador, and the members of the Association will miss him very much."

Leitao, who had been fighting cancer, is survived by his wife and two children, and one grandchild. His life will be celebrated at a mass in Lisbon and a service in Essex.

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