Portuguese white wine winners

The Independent Winegrowers’ Association of Portugal hosted a tasting of Portugal’s Top White Wines at the Portuguese Embassy in London. 61 white wines from 51 producers were selected for this event by a panel of wine-writers comprised of Charles Metcalfe, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Portuguese wine journalist, David Lopes Ramos.

The tasting demonstrated the fantastic diversity of distinctive and aromatic white wines that are produced throughout Portugal. The wines hailed from 12 wine-producing regions of Portugal including the Azores and Madeira as well as the more well-known regions of the Douro and Alentejo. A total of 31 different white grape varieties (26 indigenous to Portugal) were used within these 61 wines.

Luís Pato, IWA member and Adega Luís Pato Owner said: “We are proud to have been able to showcase this exciting selection of white wines. Portugal is a country rich in wine potential – we have access to very special ‘terroirs’ and a fantastic range of indigenous grape varieties, which allow us to produce an amazing multiplicity of wine styles and characteristics. Our aim with this tasting was to give a glimpse of Portugal’s ‘white-side’ and show that we are capable of producing white wines to rival the reds and Port wines for which Portugal is currently better known.

“Although the rain was pouring on the streets of London, we felt that the chosen wines shone through on the day!”

This tasting was supported by Vini Portugal and Amorim.