Weekly Saturday Tasting

Portuguese Wines

Saturday, July 15th
1:00 - 3:00

Portugal seems to be having a moment. While post-pandemic wanderlust has us hearing about lots of great overseas trips, among our local customers Portugal is proving to be one of the top destinations. It has been very notable over the last few months how many customers we've had come in wanting to get a feel for the dry wines of Portugal before they head over, or asking for more and more Portuguese wines once they get back with a new found love for the country's Vinho. That passion is well deserved, as there are numerous delicious Portuguese wines! The history of Portuguese wine goes back some 4,000 years to the ancient Phoenicians, seafarers who established colonies across the Mediterranean and planted vines along the way. Yet much of the world is only now discovering the dry wines of Portugal, which have been through revolutionary changes in the past several decades. The best Portuguese wines are emerging in world markets as carefully crafted and delicious wines, typically at tremendous value for the quality. Most casual wine drinkers may only know of the classic fortified wines of Portugal, the Ports and Madeiras. While these are deservedly renowned wines, they overshadow some beautiful dry wines. Portuguese table wine was reserved for years almost entirely for the locals. Physically isolated from most of Europe and its wine culture, Portugal developed wines its own way, using its more than 300 native grapes in favor of trendier international varieties. We will take a small tour of some of these beautiful wines this weekend, including one the best known of Portugueses dry wines, the super refreshing Vinho Verde, a classic white wine with just a touch of carbonation, along with a companion Rosé Vinho Verde, and two reds, one from the North and one from the South. We hope you can join us this Saturday!

Las Lilas Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde DOC, Portugal, 2022

Las Lilas Vinho Verde Rosé
Vinho Verde DOC, Portugal, 2022

Semaphore 7
Alentejo DOC, Portugal, 2019

Gateway Douro Red
Douro DOC, Portugal, 2017