Tasting the difference
With a range of winemaking skills gleaned from the Barossa to Bordeaux, Portugal offers much more than Madeira and Port, says Fiona Sims
I love Portugal - its landscape, people, wines and food. But I know what you're thinking - isn't Portuguese cuisine fairly basic?
Well, much of it is pretty simple and salt cod, known as bacalhau, does rule, but the country's restaurant kitchens have sharpened up their image in recent years, as the younger, cash-rich generation demands something lighter.
If you don't believe me, visit the Bull & Bear in Porto's Boavista area, where one of the country's most famous chefs, Miguel Castro Silva, has set up shop. His place wouldn't look incongruous in London, with Starck-style light fittings, sleek dark wood furniture and Buddha Bar-style sounds. A speciality is a fish tartare trio - carapaus (horse mackerel) brought to life with fresh ginger and lemon-scented olive oil, octopus flavoured with garlic and paprika and sea bass with fennel and chives.
Best performance
The same applies to Portugal's wines - Government grants have been upgrading wineries across the country and a new generation of winemakers are showing off skills picked up from the Barossa to Bordeaux. And with these improvements comes a new confidence in the wines.
Portugal accounts for only 1% of the wine market in the UK, with most sales happening in the off-trade, much to the frustration of Wines of Portugal. I rarely see a Portuguese wine on a restaurant wine list. In the pecking order of countries, it is ranked at number 11.
And its reason for hiding its light under a bushel? It hasn't focused on developing brands or promoting its star red grapes. While we're on the subject, those grapes, with names such as Trincadeira, Aragonez, Alfrocheiro, Encruzado and Bastardo, don't trip off the tongue so easily (apart from maybe the latter, with an obligatory snigger).
Haven't you had enough of Merlot and Chardonnay? And if the sheer excitement of the unfamiliar isn't enough, maybe a shelf full of medals will command your attention.
Portugal had its best performance yet at this year's International Wine Challenge, scooping 43 golds and achieving third place after vinous heavyweights France and Australia.
Although most of the medals were for port and Madeira, 15 gold medals were awarded to its table wines - that's two up on last year - mainly from the Douro, but also from Dão, Alentejo and Trás-os-Montes.
Rich diversity
To give us a sampling of their rich diversity, Wines of Portugal laid on a tutored tasting for members of the on-trade in London at the beginning of November, to show off wines from key DOCs - there are 32 - ranging from £6.49 to £34 a bottle (RRP).
Most visitors I spoke to were unfamiliar with Portuguese wines but by the end of the tasting were showing significant interest.
I caught up with Huw Gott, co-owner of Islington's Marquess pub in north London. They've just picked up Time Out's Gastropub of the Year award and he has big plans for his wine list.
"Yes, I can see some of these wines working on my list - there are so many interesting flavours and they're great food wines.
"I'll probably have to sell them by the glass, just to get people hooked," he told me
afterwards.
In fact, Wines of Portugal have thrown down the gauntlet to the on-trade.
"We're open to any initiatives, from incentivising staff to wine-maker dinners. Just call us," urges Viniportugal president Vasco d'Avillez.
Go for it, I say.
Contact Filipe Mota Neves at Wines of Portugal on 020 7201 6666 for information.
