News archives 2006

www.infoportwine.com
News archives 2006.
All articles older than 1 to 3 months are entered in News archives. We start with a title list with accompanying dates. You will find the full articles by linking the titles.

By now Hersh has published an extensive article under the new regime on the Vintages 2004 with a complete harvest report, buying information and tasting notes on 24 (Single Quinta) Vintages. This information is no longer available for free, with the exception of a preface.

Roy and his partner Mario Ferreira have announced their next trip in May 2007 which will combine visits to Oporto/Vila Nova de Gaia and the Douro region (for the first time) with the island of Madeira. These are very exclusive excursions for the discovery Port and Madeira. The trip is limited to ten guests. More on this trip can be found at: http://fortheloveofport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=30

New online shop.
30/12/06. After six months of pre-launch preparation the Portuguese Port wine shop www.theportwine.com is now online. It is an initiative of the two friends T. Bastos and J. Soares with their company Z & T - Comércio de Vinhos Lda.

Their site is available in Portuguese, English and French. At the moment Port wines of sixteen houses are available. The prices vary from 5.74 to 278.54 Euros. Auctions are also possible.

Double Magnums of Porto Solene.
30/12/06. Wine Cluster Co, the mother company of Porto Solene, has issued a press release about the launch of double Magnums of its Reserve Ruby and Reserve Tawny:

“250 Years of Douro - 250 Double Magnum Port Wine Bottles (Unique Edition)
“In 1756, the Douro wine region, where the mythical Port wine is produced, became the first in the world to be demarcated and delimitated.
”250 years later, Wine Cluster Co. celebrates this historical date with the release of an absolute exclusive edition, unique and unrepeatable, of 250 numbered double magnum (3litres) units of Port wine - celebrating a vivid praise of the wine, the region, its people and the country.
“Through a delicate and handcrafted process, all bottles are individually filled, numbered, labelled and packed.
“Created from the Porto Solene concept (500 ml) whose qualities of luxury, design and excellence have already collected multiple awards worldwide, this numbered and limited edition, with a 52 cm tall bottle of transparent glass is brought to you in a black case (59x17x15 cm) made from an ultra-light and spongy material. While the glass’s transparency allows you to observe the Port wine’s astonishing nuances, the case will present you with matchless tactile and visual sensations. A universe of words related with the Porto Solene concept, translated into five different languages and engraved using laser technology, shapes the bottle’s structure, and offers a never before seen beauty to this edition.”

These Magnums can be bought in the Club del Gourmet of El Corte Inglês in Lisbon and Vila Nova de Gaia and through Wine Cluster Co.
For more information see: www.portosolene.com See also: News archives 2006

Link of the months January and February 2007.
30/12/06. For these two months we have chosen www.jhandresen.com
Andresen is one of the few Port houses which is 100% owned by a Portuguese family. The brand specifically profiles itself by its great Colheitas and award-winning Tawnies.

The website has rigid forms and is light of colour. The texts are only available in English. The general information is good. The beautiful product packagings especially catch the eye.

Links page: changes in December 2006.
30/12/06. We added to Port links:
- www.quintasantoantonio.pt
- www.quinta-das-aveleiras.com
- www.quintadocrasto.pt
- www.qtastaeufemia.com Quinta de Santa Eufêmia.
- www.theportwine.com Portuguese online shop.
- www.quintadosilval.com
- www.adegavilareal.com Adega Cooperativa de Vila Real.

In the section Port links www.fortheloveofport.com has been changed to http://fortheloveofport.com

We removed from Port links:
- www.amorim-group.pt/ing/burmester.html
- www.hotelburmester.com

We added to Port tourism links:
- www.quintasantoantonio.pt
- www.quinta-das-aveleiras.com
- www.casademendiz.com
- www.casavermelha.com Manor House Tourism.
- www.cm-freixoespadacinta.pt Moradias do Douro International.
- www.quintanova.com Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo.
- www.quinta-do-passadouro.com/douropass/quinta-de-santa-luzia.html Holiday homes.
- www.quintadoportal.com
- www.quintadosilval.com
- www.quintadovallado.com

We removed from Port tourism:
- www.hotelburmester.com
- www.assec.pt/casa-do-coro
- www.piscosnet.com/casa-das-freiras/index.html

Sales numbers January - November 2006.
30/12/06. The sales of Standard Ports have decreased in this period. However, the sales of the more important Special Categories have increased. The latest numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto are as follows:

-         the volume of all Port sold decreased by 2.2%.
-         the revenue of all Port sold decreased by 1.6%.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 4.7%.
-         the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 2.8%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

IVDP events calendar as of January 2007.
30/12/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in France:

France:
. June 17th-21st - Vinexpo 2007 - Bordeaux.

Wine Tourism Awards 2007.
30/12/06. The Great Wine Capitals Global Network has granted its annual tourism awards for the fourth time. The capitals, which are part of the group, are: Bilbao-Rioja, Bordeaux, Cape Town, Florence, Melbourne, Mendoza, Oporto and San Francisco-Napa Valley.
An International Winner Award was granted to the cellars of Ferreira in Vila Nova de Gaia in the category Significant Wine Tourism Experience.
National Winner Awards were granted to:
-         Quinta Nova and Quinta do Portal in the category Accommodation.
-         Museum Oficina Vinária in the category Art & Culture (see:Round trip)
For more information see: www.greatwinecapitals.com/bestof/view_list.php

MUNDUSvini 2006.
30/12/06. During the sixth International Wine Prize competition MUNDUSvini of Meininger Verlags in Neustadt – Germany, Great Gold Medals were awarded to the following Port wines:
-         Croft Quinta da Roêda Vintage 1995,
-         Sandeman Vau Vintage 2000.
The other results can be found at: http://www.mundusvini.com/340--~de~internationaler_weinpreis~ergebnisse~2006_open.html by choosing Port/Madeira/Sherry and Portugal.

Revista de Vinhos no. 205, December 2006.
30/12/06. The December issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgement by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
-         Quinta Seara D’Ordens LBV 2001 Unfiltered 17 punt.
-         (Wiese &) Krohn Branco 1964 (Colheita?) 18 punt.
-         SPR Vinhos Quinta do Pégo Vintage 2003 16,5 punt.

Quinta das Carvalhas:
Luís Lopes reviews this quinta of Real Companhia Velha on the hill opposite Pinhão. The total area is 600 hectares, of which 120 under vine. The eye-catching Casa Redonda - the Round House is situated on the top of the hill. In the nineties this quinta was radically renewed and it is now well accessible for wine tourism with eight kilometres of paved roads.

Encontro com o Vinho e Sabores:
António Falcão reports on this popular event in Lisbon that was also organized by Revista de Vinhos. Over 10,000 people visited the seventh edition with many workshops and tastings from November 4^th to 6^th. The press prize in the category fortified wines was awarded to the Vista Alegre Vintage 2004 of Vallegre.

Wine & Soul:
Luís Antunes wrote a profile of the winemakers and marriage partners Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges. In addition to their work for Quinta do Vale D. Maria (Sandra) and Q. do Passodouro (Jorge) they also make wine and Port wine in their own company Wine & Soul. Tasting notes of the W&S Vintages 2003 with 17.5 points and 2004 with 18 points have been printed along with the article.

Two months in the Douro.
02/12/06. On September 26^th we arrived halfway harvest time. Small and larger trucks with containers overfull with grapes characterized the traffic. If you happened to stand next to such a transport you could often smell the beginning of fermentation. The characteristic, heavy smell of the most dominated at the large wineries but sometimes also at the small leans-to of hobby farmers.
We had the opportunity to join our neighbour’s picking, this you ought to have done once in a lifetime. And yes it was heavy work. Fortunately we could stop at lunchtime. Later on our participation proved to have been discussed and appreciated in the village.
Quite quickly afterwards the autumn colours started to change the vineyards. This is for us the nicest time of the year with splendid, brightly coloured, varied fields.
See own photo - © infoportwine-eleonora.

Unfortunately the bad weather at the end of October spoilt the pleasure for a great deal. But on the other hand heavy rainfall had resulted in a sea of green ground covers, which is definitely a nice view in the bare fields after the summer.

Shortly after the harvest, pruning started and the curling plumes of smoke of the burning branches created another characteristic and fascinating image.
See own photo - © infoportwine-eleonora.

Qualitatively, 2006 will not be a top year because of heavy rainfall at the wrong moment. But because of the
differences in microclimates and the choice of harvesting time positive exceptions might exist.
On September 29^th the harvest period of four weeks on Quinta do Vesúvio was halfway. In spite of the rains its quality was very adequate. We tasted a very young Port in the laboratory. The colour was purple red, the smell full and fruity and the taste excellent, far too good to not finish the well-filled glass. The aguardente had been absorbed totally. We judged this youngster with an 8, not yet sufficient to fulfil the IVDP test requirement for a Vintage with a 9, but this will be in two years’ time. People on the spot certainly expected that a Vesúvio Vintage 2006 would be marketed.
On October 6^th the harvest on Q. do Vale Maria of Cristiano van Zeller and his wife had already been finished. They and their winemaker Sandra Tavares told us that due to the hail on July 14^th they had a 40 to 50% lower yield (see our News item of 01/07/06). The damages at the bunches were so bad that the grapes had to be selected by hand. However, this may be an advantage in quality.
Óscar Quevedo, of the company Vinoquel in São João da Pesqueira with 80 hectares of vineyards around this village, told us that his harvest was over 30% lower than on average, but of a very good quality.
On Q. do Vallado, they had already started picking the white grapes at the end of August and immediately continued with the reds and they were not dissatisfied about the quantity as well as the quality.

For two months we lived in the Douro Superior close to Vila Nova de Foz Côa. This is an attractive region with good viniculture, many olives and almonds, splendid relics from Roman time or earlier and of course the fascinating, very old rock-carvings in the valley of the Rio Côa. However, the centre of the Port region is 1 to 1.5 hours by car and this is not very handy if you would like to go there regularly.

The weather was disappointing. The first few weeks it was sometimes sunny, but temperatures were moderate (never without a coat) and during the nights frequently below ten degrees Celsius. After there had been storm and rain, the night of October 24^th to 25^th was extremely bad with much flooding. Afterwards we appeared to be on the line Bragança - Guarda, exactly at the lowest point of the depression which had caused much damage. Statistics indicated that this month had been one of the worst October months since 1931.
However, the Portuguese can also be optimistic. During this bad period we were told that there was always the possibility of a good late summer, ‘o verão de São Martinho - the summer of Saint Martin’. This day is on November 11^th and really from November 8^th the sun broke through for some days with sometimes nice temperatures, though it you could feel winter was coming.

On October 5^th we met Roy Hersh and his partner Mario Ferreira in the restaurant next to Q. da Senhora da Ribeira (opposite to Q. do Vesúvio). They were with eight guests with whom they made an intensive Port trip through Oporto, Vila Nova de Gaia and the Douro region (see: www.fortheloveofport.com/travel.htm ).
We shared an animated and good dinner with them. Roy and we have known each other from since we started this website in 2001. However, we never succeeded to meet each other in Portugal at the same time. Now that we finally met turned out this dinner to be an unforgettable event.
Roy brought an excellent Dow’s Magnum Vintage 1970 for the cheese desert. In the afternoon he had managed to decant it carefully and in time. This Port had, also because of the large bottle, a surprising dark colour, had delicious fruit smells and a fantastic taste.
The young picker’s group of Q. da Senhora da Ribeira was celebrating its farewell more cheerfully and louder at the table next to us, so we had great difficulty to keep up our conversation. At the end a bagpipe and drum came to finish the party with original, especially lively, Portuguese music. Mario told us that an accordion should have been there too to make it complete, but since music during the harvest has almost died out this too was a special experience.

Apart from our holiday activities, we were in the Port region mainly to check and to expand the information on accommodations in our article Round trip. Sometimes you are so lucky as to find a little pearl. This was the little wine museum Oficina Vinária in a former winery in the middle of Torre de Moncorvo. The museum belongs to Q. das Aveleiras south from the village. Sandra Ruge manages the tourist activities there and also runs Oficina Vinária. The exhibition of and the information in the museum are good, but a visit becomes wonderful because of the enthusiastic, very professional presentation by Sandra who relates a huge knowledge of Port production to a great love for the role of the Douro Superior in particular. On December 30^th or 31^st we will publish our renewed article Round trip and tell more about this quinta, this museum and other objects.

The development of tourist accommodations in the Douro region has slowly progressed during the last few years. At the end of 2003 and early 2004 large hotel projects in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Mesão Frio and Sabrosa were initially announced, but these have not yet been realized. However the real renewal has come from small Quinta hotels with five to fourteen rooms. In our article Round trip we will review most of them. On October 28^th a new governmental project was announced to build small hotels with ten to forty-five rooms around the area. We hope to publish more on this issue later on.

Generally our informers were quite satisfied about the numbers of tourists this year. Most of them achieved slightly higher numbers compared to last year, only one or two had fewer stays than in 2005. This is not a bad result with the increasing bed capacity.

Q. de la Rosa buys Q. da Bandeira.
02/12/06. The Bergqvist family of Quinta de la Rosa (QdelaR) has bought Q. da Bandeira (QdaB) in the Douro Superior for 800,000 Euros. This was reported by Vida Económica on October 6^th.
QdaB is situated east of the Douro and the road N102/IP2, from Vila Nova de Foz Côa about 2.5 kilometres before the exit of the new road to Torre de Moncorvo. Opposite this spot vineyards of Q. do Vale Meão are situated at the other bank of the river.
No Port will be made of the grapes from QdaB, but only table wine. The commercialising of the yields from this new quinta will be done by means of a joint venture of 50% owned by the Bergqvist family and 50% by their winemaker Jorge Moreira.
Sophia Bergqvist told us the following about this purchase:
-         the Douro Superior offers a different terroir and climate than at QdelaR and hence will produce a different wine,
-         it would only be possible with Jorge’s help,
-         we cannot expand around QdelaR,
-         my father was keen and excited to finance the project.
QdaB consists of 100 hectares, with many olive trees and six hectares of old and five hectares of new vines. The construction of new vineyards is in full swing and the patamares and plots for vinha ao alto are well visible. Most of them are situated on slopes facing west.
See our own photos below - © infoportwine-eleonora.

We were so lucky to be able to visit QdaB on a nice, dry afternoon and admired the spirit of enterprise of the new owners. Sophia Bergqvist also sees possibilities for tourist developments in the future, but the vineyards now have priority.
QdelaR consists of 55 hectares with class A Port rights. The annual production is 65,000 litres of Port Wine and 100,000 to 150,000 litres of table wine. The trade amounts to 1.5 million Euros a year.

Sogrape buys Q. do Sairrão.
02/12/06. Sociedade da Quinta do Sairrão (QdoS) has been sold to Sogrape (Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman). QdoS is the company name of a group of eight quintas with together 175 hectares vineyards on a total area of 300 hectares (do Barroso, da Calanca, da Fonte Seca, do Picote, de Roche, do Sobreiral, do Sairrão and do Vale da Silveira). The company markets table wines with different names and Port Wine under the brand QdoS. Sairrão was an initiative of Próspero Vilaverde (joined with Costa Pina & Vilaverde) who in 1999 decided to start a company for wines from the Douro region and for other regional products. This entrepreneur died two years later. Then the production had already amounted to 1,500 pipas of wine of 550 litres a year.
The central settlement of QdoS is situated at the N222 more than 2.5 kilometres east of São João da Pesqueira and can be reached through a good, about 800 metres long access road.
See own photos - © infoportwine-eleonora.

Sogrape, together with Gran Cruz, shares the second and third place in the Port industry behind the Symington group, but is the largest in Portugal. In the company strategy Sandeman focuses on the export markets, Offley on the lowest prices and Ferreira on the home market. In 2005 Sogrape had a volume of trade of 166.7 million Euros, 3% more than in 2004.
(Source Diário Económico of 06/10/06.)

Sales numbers January - October 2006.
02/12/06. The sales of Standard Ports have decreased in this period. However, the sales of the more important Special Categories have increased. The latest numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto are as follows:

-         the volume of all Port sold decreased by 2.1%.
-         the revenue of all Port sold decreased by 1.5%.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 2.3%.
-         the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 1.9%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

Link of the months August - December 2006.
02/12/06. In view of the extensive commemorations of the 250^th anniversary on September 10^th of the demarcated Douro region we have chosen www.250rdd.utad.pt/en/index.html as our Link of the next few months.
Several regional and national institutions are working together in a joint project for these celebrations. The festivities will begin on August 31^st and end on December 14^th. The website of the organization, in Portuguese and English, offers general information, a programme of activities and a survey of the many books presented on the occasion of the jubilee.

White Port Wine with an indication of age.
02/12/06. On September 2^nd 2006, after hesitating a long time, we published in our article Types the new type Old Whites that did not officially exist but that we missed. Of course we don’t want to suggest a direct link, but on October 9^th the Interprofessional Council of the IVDP reached an agreement about the recognition of the white version of the Aged Tawnies. Officially it is the Vinho do Porto Branco com Indicação de Idade de 10, 20, 30 e 40 Anos or White Port Wine with Indication of Age of 10, 20, 30 and 40 Years. The new type has to comply with the descriptions in article 5 of Regulamento no. 36/2005 of 17/05/05 and article 5 of Regulamento no. 23/2006 of 12/04/06.

Brand registration LBV and Portonic.
02/12/06. The IVDP has registered the brand rights of the Late Bottled Vintage and the Portonic in Portugal and the European Union. A logo of the Portonic has also been registered:

Two new wine magazines.
02/12/06. For some months two new wine magazines have been published in Portugal: ‘blue Wine’ and ‘Wine Passion’
blue Wine is made through the combination of blue Media and Essência do Vinho (see Round trip 4b.). Luís Costa is in charge of the editorial staff.
Wine Passion or Paixão pelo Vinho is a publication of Alive World Communicação that also runs the editing.
Both magazines published little on Port Wine until now. For that reason we cannot recommend them. However the bilingual design of Wine Passion (English-Portuguese) may be attractive for people who want to be informed in a better way on Portuguese wines in general. See: www.winepassion-magazine.com

IVDP events calendar as of December 2006.
02/12/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Belgium, France and Spain:

Belgium:
. December 4th - Port Wine Tasting - event hosted as part of the 250th anniversary of the RDD - Hotel Meridien - 3 Carrefour de l'Europe - Brussels - trade and other wine professionals 2-5 pm - connoisseurs 5-7 pm.

France:
. December 4th - Port Wine seminar for members of the USDF - tutorial for catering college students, teachers and USDF sommeliers - Lycée Cagnes sur Mer - Chemin Brecq - Cagnes sur Mer.
. December 12th - Port Wine seminar for members of the USDF - tutorial for catering college students, teachers and USDF sommeliers - Lycée de Dijon - Rue Daubenton - Dijon.
. June 17th-21st - Vinexpo 2007 - Bordeaux.

Spain:
. December 13th - Port Wine seminar for members of the UAES - Main office - Calle Colón - Zaragoza - 5-8 pm.

Revista de Vinhos no. 202, September 2006.
02/12/06. The September issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New product:
The DR 10 Years Old Tawny gets 16 points from the editorial staff on a score chart from 0 to 20.

The Symington Family:
João Afonso, João Paulo Martins and Luís Lopes visited some quintas of this largest Port producer and interviewed Paul and Charles Symington. They describe the company which has recently had a market share of 24% and which encloses seven wineries and nineteen quintas. The company pays much attention to the study of new forms of vineyard construction to stop the large erosion problems of patamares and vinha ao alto. Variations of grape varieties are being tested to enlarge the low production of 1.1 kilogram a vine in the Cima Corgo and the Douro Superior. The number of wineries with the already legendary, self developed Robot lagares will yet be enlarged. The authors judged the following Port Wines:
Senhora da Ribeira Vintage 2004 17,5 points,
Quinta do Vesúvio Vintage 2004 17,5 points,
Quinta de Malvedos Vintage 1996 17 points,
Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage 1992 16 points.

LBV tasting:
João Afonso reports on a tasting with 42 LBV’s, of which as many as four showed cork or TCA problems.
The Warre’s LBV 1995 scored 17.5 points and both the Croft and Dow’s LBV’s 2000 17 points. At the bottom of the list we find the Delaforce LBV 2000 with 14.5 points and the São Pedro das Águias LBV 1997 with 13.5 points.
A striking fact is that the judging panel gives as much as thirteen LBV’s, or over 30%, less than 16 points, which is the standard the IVDP uses for this type.

Revista de Vinhos no. 203, October 2006.
02/12/06. The October issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgment by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
-         Quinta do Grifo Vintage 2003 (SPR Vinhos) 16 punt.
-         Q. do Retiro Novo Vintage 2004 (Wiese & Krohn) 16 punt.
-         Q. do Bucheiro 10 Years Old Tawny 14,5 punt.

Harvest 2006:
From September 6^th to 20^th five editors visited several quintas in the most important wine regions. Their overall conclusion was that 2006 gave a harvest between all and nothing. On September 15^th João Paulo Martins went in the Douro to Encosta Longa in São João da Pesqueira and Hernâni Verdelho in Freixo de Numão and established good results.

The image of Port Wine:
Marc Barros writes about the meaning of images on labels, packagings and posters of Port products. The famous series of sensual designs for Ramos Pinto was superseded by patriotic images with flags, militaries and religious under the regime of Salazar. Later on the series of women dressed in black of Porto Cruz is a splendid example how art can be used. The article is largely illustrated with material of Ramos Pinto, Sogrape and Taylor’s.
These images will get an important place in the next exposition of the Museu do Douro.

Revista de Vinhos no. 204, November 2006.
02/12/06. The November issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgement by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
- Quinta de Ventozelo Tawny Reserve 15 points.
- (Wiese &) Krohn Branco Seco 16,5 points.

Harvest 2006:
João Afonso and António Falcão continue the harvest report with the revealing title “From everything a bit”.

Villas-Boas family + Niepoort:
Dirk van der Niepoort cooperates with the Villas-Boas family in the production and marketing of Douro and Port wines from their 4.5 hectare quinta near Provesende. Luís Antunes reports on the launch of this brand Morgadio da Calçada/Niepoort and publishes tasting notes with the following scores:
-         Ruby Reserve 15,5 points,
-         Tawny Reserve 16 points,
-         LBV 2001 16,5 points,
-         Dry White 15,5 points.

QuidNovi: Caves D’ouro - English version:
The English version of this book (see Library) is now available.

Next publication on December 2nd.
15/09/06. We are fortunate enough to live in the Port region for two months. From about mid September to mid November we will be staying in a vineyard in Touça, a little village near Vila Nova de Foz Côa. We will attend the commemorations of the 250^th jubilee of the demarcated Douro region, work on an update of our article Round trip and enjoy ourselves very much.
That’s why our next publication will be on December 2^nd.

Vintages 2004 (2).
15/09/06. The Dutchman Aad van der Werf has published an excellent article on the three 2004 Vintages of the Syminton Family Group (see also our News item of 06/05/06) on the website The Flying Wine Writer. He reviews quintas and Single Quinta Vintages in general and the three Symington’s quintas and their 2004 Vintages in particular. The article entitled “2004 Single Quinta Vintage Ports of Symington Family Estates” can be found at www.flyingwinewriter.com/symington2006_september_single.php

Link of the months August - December 2006.
15/09/06 and 02/09/06. In view of the extensive commemorations of the 250^th anniversary on September 10^th of the demarcated Douro region we have chosen www.250rdd.utad.pt/en/index.html as our Link of the next few months.
Several regional and national institutions are working together in a joint project for these celebrations. The festivities will begin on August 31^st and end on December 14^th. The website of the organization, in Portuguese and English, offers general information, a programme of activities and a survey of the many books presented on the occasion of the jubilee.

Sales numbers January - July 2006.
15/09/06. The Port sales continue to increase in an encouraging manner. Revenues are up mainly because the sale of Special Categories has increased more than those of Standard Ports. The latest numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto are as follow:

-         the volume of all Port sold increased by 0.8%.
-         the revenue of all Port sold increased by 2.2%.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 7.5%.
-         the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 12%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

IVDP events calendar as of 15 September 2006.
15/09/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Austria, Belgium, Brasil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA:

Austria:
. November 7th and November 10th - Port Wine Market - Grand Hotel de Viena - Vienna.

Belgium:
. October 18th and 19th - Port Wine and Chocolate by ICEP and Callebault - Brussels.

Brasil:
. November 6th - Grande Prova de Vinho - Rio de Janeiro.

Canada:
6th edition IVDP's Tasting Series (17.30-19.30, $25):
. October 23rd - Le Royal Meridien King Edward - Toronto.
. October 25th - Marché Bonsecours-Ballroom - Montreal.
. October 26th - Delta Québec Hotel - Québec.

. November 4th-5th - Ottawa Food and Wine Show - Ottawa.

Denmark:
. November 6th - Port Wine Tasting - Palácio da Bolsa de Copenhagen - Copenhagen.

Finland:
. November 15th - Port Wine Tasting - Helsinki.

France:
. October 16th - Port Wine - members USDF - Toulouse.
. November 22nd - Port Wine - members USDF - Cagnes.
. December 5th - Port Wine - members USDF - Dijon.

Great Britain:
. September 22nd-October 1st - York Festival - York.
. October 26th-29th - London Wine Show - London.

Norway:
. September 21st-26th - Sommelier students of the Culinary Institute of Norway visit the Douro accompanied by their professor, the journalist Arne Ronold.
. November 8th - Port Wine Tasting - Oslo.

Portugal:
. October 10th-15th - Douro no Tejo - 10 Restaurants in Lisbon.
. October 14th-15th - Douro no Tejo - Tasting in the Museu da Electricidade - Lisbon.
. November 4th-6th - Encontro com o Vinho e Sabores 2006 - Lisbon.

Spain:
. October 2nd - Port Wine and Chocolate - members UAES - Santiago de Compostela.
. October 3rd - Port Wine and Chocolate - members UAES - Vigo.

Sweden:
. November 14th - Port Wine Tasting - Vinkallaren Grappa in Stockholm.

Switzerland:
. September 4th - Seminário na École Hotelière de Lausanne.
. October 2nd - Tasting Port and Douro Wines - Restaurant Au Premier - Railway station - Zurich.

USA:
October 19th - Wine Origins - San Francisco.

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Wine Enthusiast: Star nominees 2006.
15/09/06. The magazine Wine Enthusiast has announced the fifty nominees for the ten categories of its annual “Wine Star industry awards 2006”. The Douro region has been nominated for “Wine Region of the Year” and Niepoort for “European Winery of the Year”. The results will be published in the December issue of this American magazine.

Decanter World Wine Awards 2006 (2).
15/09/06. In June we published the Regional Trophies and the Gold Medals of the annual wine competition of the English magazine Decanter (see our News item of 03/06/06). Now the magazine has also announced the International Trophies. The Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 20 Years Old Tawny won the “International Red Fortified over 10 English pounds Trophy”.

Revista de Vinhos no. 201, August 2006 (2).
15/09/06. The August issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

Casa das Pipas (Q. do Portal):
In the section Enoturismo, Fernando Melo reviews this hotel of Q. do Portal that opened in March 2005. Melo describes this hotel with ten rooms as the new agro-tourism and judges the activities of Casa das Pipas with 18 points on a score chart to 20.

Q. de la Rosa:
João Geirinhas reviews the history of this quinta with reference to its 100^th anniversary. He denominates the Vintage 2004 of Q. de la Rosa as promising but postpones further judgement untill a later publication by the magazine on a large tasting.

Important changes in our Files.
02/09/06. On July 28^th it was five years ago that we published this site for the first time. This is a good occasion to introduce an essential change in our article Types. At our start we made a choice for the segmentation including and excluding harvest year. Now we have changed this to Ruby style and Tawny style as this fits better in with the most important taste differences.

Simultaneously we have made a new Chapter 3. with the appreciation criterions as they are used for the official judgement by the IVDP of the different types.

Other additions are:
-         In What’s Port? the views of professor Gaspar Martins Pereira on the first demarcated wine region in the world.
-         In To serve, to drink and to combine 3. the views of the American Port guru Roy Hersh on the time between decanting and serving Vintages.
-         In Types 1h. the table with sweetness degrees of the IVDP.
-         In Types 4c. and 4d. the Colheita White and the Old White.
-         In Types 5e. the changing views about drinking Vintage young.
-         In Types 6e. a description of the “age” of Aged Tawnies and the blends of a 10 Years and 20 Years Old.

All changes and additions are printed in italic.

Symington’s buys Cockburn’s/Martinez.
02/09/06. In Portugal it has been announced that The Symington Family Group has bought the Port companies Cockburn’s and Martinez from Beam Global Spirits & Wine, a part of the American Fortune Brands.
The purchase includes four wineries, the Quintas dos Canais, do Atraíde and do Tua, 330 hectares of vineyard, warehouses, stocks of over 27,000 pipas of Port Wine and bottling plants. The brands Cockburn’s and Martinez will remain in possession of Beam Global for twenty years. In this period Beam Global will guarantee sales and distribution.
In 2005 Cockburn’s and Martinez came into possession of Fortune Brands when a consortium managed by the French Pernod Ricard purchased the English Allied Domecq (see our News items of 05/08/05 and 03/12/05). Beam Global was especially interested in Cockburn’s because of its large market share in England.
Beam Global will keep a small establishment managed by Miguel Corte Real at the Symington Group.
(Source: Público of 22/07/06.)

The market shares have become by this purchase as follows:

Symington 24%,
Sogrape 16%,
Gran Cruz 16%,
Sogevinus 11%,
Fladgate 10%,
Real Companhia Velha 5%.

Part Sogrape (including Sandeman) going public?
02/09/06. In July it became known that Joe Berardo had bought 33% of the shares of Sogrape (including Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman) through his company Metalgest (see our News item of 05/08/06). Now Berardo wants to reorganize his interests in the wine sector by the foundation of a holding. His 33% of Sogrape, his 86% of Bacalhôa Vinhos, his controlling interest in the Canadian Coolio Wines and his 50% of Quinta do Carmo should be united in this holding. Probably a still to be bought large Argentinean wine company will be added to it.
It is the intention that 49% of the new holding is going public, starting with a portion of 25%. The flotation could happen within a year.
Berardo paid 80 million Euros for his 33% share in Sogrape bringing the total value of the company to 240 million. However, he is of the opinion that Sogrape could be worth 500 million Euros on the stock exchange.
(Source: Jornal the Negócios of 24/07/06.)

Next publications on September 15th and December 2nd.
02/09/06. We are fortunate enough to live in the Port region for two months. From about mid September to mid November we will be staying in a vineyard in Touça, a little village near Vila Nova de Foz Côa. We will attend the commemorations of the 250^th jubilee of the demarcated Douro region, work on an update of our article Round trip and enjoy ourselves very much.
That’s why our next publications will be on September 15^th and December 2^nd
Harvest forecast 2006.
02/09/06. The Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV) predicts that this year the wine harvest in Portugal will decrease by 3% compared to last year and will be 5% less than the average of the last three years.
A 11% lower yield is expected for the Douro region. This lower yield is welcome to many traders as stocks from earlier harvests have not been sold completely yet.
One is generally optimistic about the quality of next harvest given the recent state of the grapes.
(Source: Jornal de Nóticias of 01/08/06.)

The jubilee highlights of Gaspar Martins Pereira.
02/09/06. On the occasion of the 250^th jubilee of the demarcated Douro region, the Portuguese newspaper Expresso has asked Gaspar Martins Pereira to make a choice of highlights from this history. Martins Pereira is the great expert in this field, professor of history at the University of Oporto, president of the Museu do Douro and author of many books and publications. His explanations of his choices are so compact that we quote them completely:

“Moment: The classification of the Douro as World Heritage (14/12/2001). The recognition of the identity of a landscape, culture and wine, in a tribute to successive generations which have shaped this world region.”

“Character: D. Antónia Ferreira (1841 - 1896). Through her symbolical function, because she always invested, especially in times of crises, focused on the social aspects, the region and the future. ‘Everyone should do everything in his field to help Humanity’, she wrote from London to the deputies of her company.”

“Episode: Revolt of Lamego (15/7/1915). Twelve people killed in a demonstration against an article in the Portuguese - English treaty that allowed the designation Porto for all wine from Portugal. A symbolical movement that united all agents from the region with the same goal. On the day of the tragedy the government had already surrendered.”

“Quinta do Vesúvio: Because she prepared the way for the development of the Douro Superior. A symbolical estate of Ferreirinha, with seven hills and thirty-one valleys. Among the quintas which also affect him, one finds Bom Retiro (S. João da Pesqueira) and Ervamoira (Côa).”

“Glory: Construction of the railway (1873 - 1887) which took the train to Barca d’Alva and Salamanca. The building was fatal for many workers, struck down by fevers caused by the heat and mosquitoes. The planting of eucalyptus trees, these days still visible along the line, were intended to decrease the discomfort. The reverse side of the coin was the disinvestment in the railway, with its destruction of halts and stations.”

(Source: Expresso of 08/07/06.)

Article on Aged Tawnies in Wine Enthusiast.
02/09/06. Roger Voss published an excellent article entitled ‘Tawny Port Plays it Cool’ in the August issue of Wine Enthusiast. The article contains including an important statement by IVDP’s Bento Amaral about the “age” of Aged Tawnies.
The article can be found at: http://www.winemag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=DB7D3EF25248462AA8AC8F10921C4FB9

IVDP events calendar as of September 2006.
15/09/06 and 02/09/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Austria, Brasil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA:

Austria:
. November 7th and November 10th - Port Wine Market - Grand Hotel de Viena - Vienna.

Brasil:
. November 6th - Grande Prova de Vinho - Rio de Janeiro.

Canada:
. October 23rd - Toronto Port and Douro Mini Salon - Toronto.
. October 25th - Montreal Mini Salon - Montreal.
. November 4th-5th - Ottawa Food and Wine Show - Ottawa.

Denmark:
. November 6th - Port Wine Tasting - Palácio da Bolsa de Copenhagen - Copenhagen.

Finland:
. November 15th - Port Wine Tasting - Helsinki.

Great Britain:
. September 8th-10th - Emsworth Festival - Emsworth.
. September 22nd-October 1st - York Festival - York.
. October 26th-29th - London Wine Show - London.

Sweden:
. November 14th - Port Wine Tasting - Stockholm.

Switzerland:
. September 4th - Seminário na École Hotelière de Lausanne.
. October 2nd - Tasting Port and Douro Wines - Restaurant Au Premier - Railway station - Zurich.

USA:
October 19th - Wine Origins - San Francisco.

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Revista de Vinhos no. 201, August 2006.
02/09/06. Unfortunately we have not yet received the August issue of this Portuguese magazine.

Part of Sogrape (including Sandeman) sold.
05/08/06. “On July 12^th Joe Berardo came to Oporto to present himself as stockholder to Salvador Guedes.” This wrote the Portuguese newspaper Expresso on July 15^th.
Berardo proved to have bought 33% of the stocks in the holding Guedes, Carmo e Silva SGPS, Lda (G, C e S) from the Carmo family. This holding G, C e S is, through two management companies, the owner of Sogrape Holding (including Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman). The Silva family with about 12% and the Guedes family with 51% are the other large stockholders of G, C e S. Salvador Guedes is in charge of Sogrape, he is a grandson of the founder (in 1942) Fernando van Zeller Guedes.
Berardo paid 80 million Euros for his 33% part, so the total value of Sogrape would be 240 million.

Joe Berardo is a special man. For example he personally rewrote his biography on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Berardo as follows:
“José Berardo, born on Madeira island in 1944, is a Portuguese businessman and stock investor.”
“He went to Mozambique (a Portuguese colony at the time) at the age of 19. Then he started up commercial ventures there and in South Africa, becoming one of the most renowned and wealthiest Portuguese entrepreneurs at the end of the 20^th century. He has multiple businesses, including participations in many companies listed on the Euronext Lisbon, and tourist ventures around the world. He has a special interest in art, being one of the most successful art collectors in Portugal. He also created a foundation which has his name - Fundaçao Berardo.” (See also: www.berardocollection.com)

Salvador Guedes and Joe Berardo were already connected through the group of seven largest Portuguese wine producers. Berardo’s majority participation JP Vinhos/Bacalhôa Vinhos de Portugal is part of it just like Sogrape.

The newspaper Jornal de Negócios published some reactions of Salvador Guedes on July 19^th:
“The Guedes family did not succeed in buying the stocks of the Carmo family ‘especially because of the price’ and we have not been informed about the sale to Joe Berardo.”
“Guedes does not fear that the da Silva stocks will also be sold. ‘We have an excellent relation with the heirs of dr. Gastão Lopes da Silva’”.
“It is not a hostile position, but it is clearly not the solution we preferred. We wanted to maintain the family character.”
“There is no reason to assume that we will not get on well with Mr Joe Berardo. A new page is opening for this company.”
“Joe Berardo’s arrival in G, C e S will not bring any change at the level of the Board of Directors. Joe Berardo stays outside the daily management of Sogrape.”

In 2005 Sogrape invoiced for 166.7 million Euros and gained a profit of 12.6 million (2004: 26.4). The export share in the company’s activities amounts to 64%. Sogrape spends about 20 million Euros a year on publicity. An investment in a new winery at Quinta do Seixo is almost ready (about 5 million Euros) and will be followed by a second phase in tourism.
(Sources: Jornal de Notícias of 14/07/06, Expresso of 15/07/06 and Jornal de Negócios of 19/07/06.)

Benefício 2006 increases by 3%.
05/08/06. The Interprofessional Council of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (IVDP) has set the production quota (Benefício) for the next harvest at 123,500 pipas (casks of 550 litres) most (before adding aguardente). This is an increase by 3,500 pipas or about 3% compared to last year.
The Interprofessional Council with six members on behalf of the trade (AEVP), six members on behalf of the production (Casa do Douro) and under the chairmanship of Jorge Monteiro (IVDP president) were not unanimous. The Casa do Douro voted against all five proposals under discussion. Finally the chairman’s vote had to be the deciding factor. The Casa do Douro was especially opposed because a proposal for a price guarantee proved to be unfeasible.
The development of the Benefício was as follows during the past years:
2001: 154,000 pipas.
2002: 135,000 pipas or – 12.3%.
2003: 107,900 pipas or – 20.1%.
2004: 126,000 pipas or + 16.8%.
2005: 120,000 pipas or – 4.85%.
2006: 123,500 pipas or + 2.9%.
The full harvest bulletin will be published on the IVDP website: www.ivdp.pt

Program jubilee celebration.
05/08/06. Several regional and national institutions are working together in a joint project for the commemoration of the 250^th anniversary of the demarcated Douro region on September 10^th. The festivities will begin on August 31^st and end on December 14^th.
A special website was created for these activities: www.250rdd.utad.pt/en/index.html The site offers general information, a program of activities and a survey of the many books presented on the occasion of the jubilee. The site is available in Portuguese and English.

Four exhibitions on Port Wine in Oporto.
05/08/06. As a result of the commemorations of the 250^th anniversary of the demarcated Douro region, four exhibitions have been organized in Oporto.

- An exposition dedicated to old postcards of the Douro region is organized by the Biblioteca Pública Municipal do Porto in the Palacete Dos Viscondes de Balsemão. It concerns 200 cards with pictures of landscapes, popular traditions, harvests, water carriage, markets and population. The Palacete is situated at 71 Praça de Carlos Alberto. The exposition is open till August 31^st on weekdays from 9.00 to 20.00.

- You will find a display with selected books on Port Wine in the Biblioteca Pública Municipal Do Porto. The Biblioteca is situated in the Rua D. João IV. This exposition also runs until August 31^st and is open on weekdays from 9.00 to 20.00 too.

- The Museu Da Imprensa organizes an exposition with over 50 Port Wine cartoons from including Israel, Finland, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine and The Neherlands.The museum is situated alongside the E.N. 108, no. 206 (Freixo) 4300-316 Oporto. The exposition is open all days till September 30^th from 15.00 to 20.00.

- The University of Oporto organizes an exposition entitled “250 years later” in the Museu do Vinho do Porto. An image of the history is given through several documents, including a bank document of D. Antónia Ferreira, trade documents and the famous map of Barão Forrester from the demarcated Douro region in 1840. This exposition runs till November 30^th . For information about the Museu do V do P see Files/Round trip 4e.

Link of the months August - December.
05/08/06. In view of the special character of this period we have chosen the website www.250rdd.utad.pt/en/index.html as our Link for the next months. For more see: Program jubilee celebration.

Sales numbers January - June 2006.
05/08/06. The sales numbers have increased again. The figures for Special Categories now also grew more than those for Standard Ports. The newest numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto are as follows:

-         the volume of all Port sold increased by 0.5%.
-         the revenue of all Port sold increased by 2.7%.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 11.8%.
-         the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 17.7%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

Article on Aged Tawnies in SFC.
05/08/06. On July 6^th Dave McIntyre published a good, informative, interesting and extensive article entitled “Tawny time - Portugal’s aged tawny Port is accessible, affordable and ready to drink now” in the San Francisco Chronicle. The article can be found at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/06/WIGE3JM6U51.DTL&type=printable

Q. do Portal: results and strategy.
05/08/06. In 2001, the first year of Sociedade Quinta do Portal, the company achieved a trade of 200,000 Euros. This year the firm expects a sale of 5 million Euros and 1.5 million sold bottles.
The company now includes four quintas (Portal, Muros, Confradeiro and Abelheira) with overall about 100 hectares under vine. In February 2006 they started with wine tourism in Casa das Pipas with thirteen rooms.
At the moment Q. do Portal achieves 60% of its trade in Portugal and 40% in export. The company wants a fifty-fifty segmentation.
So far Port Wine represents 55% of the total sale. However, the company aims at an increase of the table wine part and especially of white wine. For this purpose many new white vines of the Viosinho type have been planted at Q. do Confradeiro.
(Source: Vide Económica - Principal of 23/06/06.)

New tops of Porto Solene.
05/08/06. During the Expovinus in Oporto from June 1^st to 4^th, Porto Solene surprised the wine world with a variant of its successful Port products (see our News items of 06/05/06, 04/06/05 and 04/09/04). After their half litre Ruby and Tawny Reserves presented in prize winning design, 5 cl - mini bottles of both wines in the same design have now been marketed. The bottles are packed in a square, transparant and recloseable PET box.
The parent company of Port Solene, Wine Clusters Co, says about this new variant:
“Shape: different from all the other Port Wine miniatures.”
“Label: these labels are exactly the same as the 50 cl bottles, except for the numbering. But in what comes for label quality it is exactly the same. You also have the back label and the front label. No other Port Wine miniature has a back label, and few are the world brands with miniatures with back labels.”
“Once again, we have done all efforts to put Port Wine image on a higher level.”
For more information see: www.portosolene.com

IVDP events calendar as of August 2006.
05/08/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Austria, Brasil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA:

Austria:
. November 7th and November 10th - Port Wine Market - Grand Hotel de Viena - Vienna.

Brasil:
. November 6th - Grande Prova de Vinho - Rio de Janeiro.

Canada:
. October 23rd - Toronto Port and Douro Mini Salon - Toronto.
. October 25th - Montreal Mini Salon - Montreal.
. November 4th-5th - Ottawa Food and Wine Show - Ottawa.

Denmark:
. November 6th - Port Wine Tasting - Palácio da Bolsa de Copenhagen - Copenhagen.

Finland:
. November 15th - Port Wine Tasting - Helsinki.

Great Britain:
. September 8th-10th - Emsworth Festival - Emsworth.
. September 22nd-October 1st - York Festival - York.
. October 26th-29th - London Wine Show - London.

Sweden:
. November 14th - Port Wine Tasting - Stockholm.

Switzerland:
. September 4th - Seminário na École Hotelière de Lausanne.
. October 2nd - Tasting Port and Douro Wines - Restaurant Au Premier - Railway station - Zurich.

USA:
October 19th - Wine Origins - San Francisco.

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Top Awards IWC 2006.
05/08/06. After the many medals (see our News item of 03/06/06) the Top Awards of the International Wine Challenge of the English magazine Wine International have now also been announced. The following Port Wine products were crowned:
-         the Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003 with The Port Trophy,
-         the Taylor’s Vintage 1985 with The Museum Port Trophy,
-         the Dow’s 40 Years Old Tawny with The Tawny Port Trophy.
For more information see: www.wineint.com/story.asp?sectioncode=8&storyCode=2087 (choose Douro).

IWSC 2006 - Harpers.
05/08/06. During the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2006 of the English magazine Harpers “Best Gold in Class Awards” were granted to the following Port Wine products:
-         Smith Woodhouse LBV 1995,
-         Dow’s LBV 2000,
-         Dow’s LBV 2001,
-         Dow’s 30 Years Old Tawny,
-         Dow’s 40 Years Old Tawny,
-         Taylor’s Vintage 1985,
-         Ramos Pinto Vintage 2003.
More information and the many Gold, Best Silver, Silver and Bronze Awards can be found at: www.iwsc.net/searchWines.cfm?Page=AwardsW (choose Fortified Wines and Portugal).

Revista de Vinhos no. 200, August 2006.
05/08/06. The jubilee issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains several articles and selections on the theme of this 200th issue. In a separate booklet Luís Lopes and João Paulo Martins give "200 tips about wines to impress friends".
This July issue contains the following information on Port Wine:

New product:
The Quinta de Ventozelo Reserve gets 15 points from the editorial staff on a score chart from 0 to 20.

200 wines for a cellar:
Nine Port Wines for prompt consumption (Reserva; Colheita; LBV; 10, 20 and 30 Years Old Tawnies) and nine Vintages, all from 2003, were chosen.

Tourism for 200 Euros a person:
Two of the reviewed accommodations are situated in the Port region: Hotel Rural Burmester (Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo) and Casa das Pipas (Q. do Portal).

Sogevinus presented new wines:
The Sogevinus holding of including Cálem, Burmester and recently Barros and Kopke presented some table wines and a Port Wine. The Burmester 30 Years Old Tawny got 18 points from Luís Antunes.

Sale Barros Almeida confirmed.
01/07/06. The group Sogevinus (Cálem, Burmester, Gilberts) has confirmed in a press report that it has bought the Port house Barros Almeida (see also our News item of 03/06/06).
The take-over includes, among others the brands Barros, Kopke, Hutcheson Feuerheerd, Feist and Souza. According to Sogevinus the market share of the new combination will amount to 11% and it is to become fourth in size by this.
The websites of Barros and Kopke have already been added to the group’s portal www.sogevinus.com We have also incorporated the changes concerned on our Links pages.

On June 16^th the newspaper Jornal de Negócios published the following survey on market shares in the Port sector:
1. Symington 17%
2. Sogrape 16%
3. Gran Cruz 16%
4. Sogevinus 11%
5. Fladgate 10%
6. Cockburn/Martinez 7%
7. Real Companhia Velha 5%
8. Poças 3%
9. Messias 2,5%
So the top five represents as much as 70% of total trade. This does not say all if you consider that qualitative toppers like Quinta do Noval and recently Q. do Portal do not even appear in this list.

Damage by rain and hail showers.
01/07/06. On June 14^th between 21.30 and 23.00 hours the heart of the Port region was hit by severe hail showers. In many cases 80% of the grape crops were destroyed.
The hidden area would be 1,700 hectares in size (of a total of some 42.000 hectares). Alijó, Castanheira do Sul, Ervedosa do Douro, Gouvães do Douro, Pinhão, Provezende, Sabrosa, Tabuaço, Vale de Mendiz and parts of the Rio Torto valley have been damaged. Although total damage seems not to be so bad, it is a complete disaster for small farmers. They will loose every income this year.
The Minister of Agriculture Jaime Silva already visited the region on June 16^th. He was not able to offer general help to the farmers. The government already pays 75% of the insurance premiums against harvest damage. However, especially the small farmers are often not insured. The authorities offered help to the victims with free calcium to prevent diseases on the damaged plants, to boost the second fruit setting and at least to ensure next year’s fruit setting.

João Redrose, who lives in the Port area, reported on his weblog that Quinta de la Rosa, Jorge Moreira (Poeira) and many suppliers of Niepoort and Cristiano van Zeller are amongst the victims (see http://gotaepinga.blogspot.com/2006/06/granizo-no-vale-do-douro.html#links).

On June 20^th the Fladgate Partnership (Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft, Delaforce) wrote in a press report that their Quintas Terra Feita, Junco, Cruzeiro and Roeda were heavily hit. Also the related Quinta da Corte has suffered damage. The Quintas Vargellas, Panascal, Casa Nova and São Xisto do not have sustained damage. However, total damage will have to be determined afterwards if the effect of the rain showers and possible diseases is also clear.

Graham’s The Tawny.
01/07/06. In November 2005 the Symington group launched “The Tawny” of Graham’s. According to the press release it should be a “special premium blend” of Ports which have stayed seven to nine years in casks.
It took some time before we were able to lay hands on this new prestigious product.
The packaging is stylish. The bottle of clear glass (though no new design) is wide and high with a short neck. The large stopper cork has a special, broad and wooden high hat with brand and type on top. The capsule has also been provided with brand and type. The label says, in very light-coloured letters, that it is a “Mature Reserve Port” and mentions the name of the winemaker and the lot number.
The content should be in quality between a Tawny Reserve (at least seven years in casks) and a 10 Years Old Tawny. The bottle with lot number V 314 10 381 which we tasted, did not came up to this in our opinion. The colour was light red without brown colouring. The smell had hardly anything of the typical wood smell. The taste should be at least better than the average Reserve, but that quality was not reached in our opinion. We will soon try again to buy a bottle from another lot.

Rabelo Regata 2006.
01/07/06. The 23^rd Rabelo Regata was won by the boat of Cálem. Fonseca was second and Warre’s (first in 2004 and 2005) third.
The traditional Barcos Rabelo were formerly used to transport casks from the Port region to Vila Nova de Gaia. Since 1982 the sailing race is annually organized by the Confraria do Vinho do Porto on St. John’s Day/Dia de São João (June 25^th). Aim of the Regata is not only Port promotion but also promotion of the cities Oporto and Gaia.
The match starts in the estuary of the Rio Douro and finishes near the double-deck steel Luiz I bridge. The Cálem team needed about an hour to cover the course.
Thousands of spectators were following the race from the banks. This number still increases every year. The number of foreign television teams also increase every year.
Graham’s was the only of the eightteen participating ships which did not finish. The boat had technical problems at the start and had to be tow away.

Additions in Library and Round trip.
01/07/06. Today we publish in Files as a result of our trip to Oporto (see News item of 03/06/06):
-         A review on the book Caves D’ouro in Library. This book offers much more than only information about the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.
-         Some additions on our paragraphs 3. Lodges and 4. Oporto in our chapter Round trip.
All changes and additions are printed in italics.

Plans for Museu do Douro.
01/07/06. In 2004 the Portuguese government bought the Casa da Companhia in Peso da Régua for the definitive accommodation of the Museu do Douro (see our News item of 03/07/04 and Round trip 9c). In May the Minister of Culture Isabel Pires de Lima said she now wanted to give priority to this project.
The competition for the design of the rebuilding will be announced in July. The order for the works will be given at the end of this year.
The work will last eighteen month and the occupation is expected at the end of 2008. The building costs will amount to five million Euros and the starting-up expenses 2.5 million Euros.
The Founders Council of the Museum was still expanded with the Casa do Douro. On behalf of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto, Jorge Monteiro will preside the Council the next three years.
(Sources: Público and Jornal de Notícias of 13/05/06).

Link of the month July 2006.
01/07/06. For this month we have chosen www.adegalijo.pt
Adega Cooperativa de Alijó is one of the largest cooperatives in the Port region. Their site is light coloured and well designed. The information in Portuguese and English is good on the understanding that we find the product information too brief. Only the labels of the Port wines, the table wines, the Moscatel wines as well as the Natural Sparkling wines have been printed and this is certainly too little.

IVDP events calendar as of July 2006.
01/07/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Brazil, France and Portugal:

- Activities in Brazil:
. July 25th-29th - Gourmet & Cia - Parque de Exposições Barigui - Curitiba.

- Fair in France:
. June 17th-21st - Vinexpo 2007 - Bordeaux - www.vinexpo.fr

- Activities in Portugal:
. July 2nd-7th - Curso de Verão em Enoturismo "Os Vinhos do Douro e Porto" - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real - http://www.utad.pt/pt/index.asp

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Ljubljana International Wine Competition 2006.
01/07/06;03/07/06. During the 52^nd International Wine Competition of the Ljubljana Fair in Slovenia from June 2^nd to 5^th no Great Golden Medals were awarded to Port Wine products.
Gold medals there were for:
-         Burmester LBV 2001,
-         Burmester Vintage 2003,
-         Cálem Reserve Ruby Magnificent,
-         Cálem Vintage 2003.
-    Gilberts LBV 2001.
More information and the other medals can be found at: http://www.ljubljanafair.com/uploads/files/attach/rezultati_medalje_anglesko_2006.pdf

Citadelles du Vin 2006.
01/07/06. During the Citadelles du Vin from June 15th to 17th in Bourg-sur-Gironde near Bordeaux the following awards were granted to Port Wine products:
- Trophée Citadelles (gold):
. Gran Cruz Special Reserve,
. Gran Cruz 30 Years Old Tawny, also the Special Jury Award for Portugal.
- Trophée Excellence (silver):
. Romariz Reserve Latina,
. Romariz LBV 2000.
- Trophée Prestige (bronze):
. D’Ali Job – Tawny of Adega Cooperativa de Alijó,
. Gran Cruz Tawny,
. Gran Cruz LBV 1992.
For more information see: www.citadellesduvin.fr/searchEN.php (choose Europa: Portugal and Appellation: DOC Porto).

Revista de Vinhos no. 199, June 2006.
01/07/06. This almost jubilee issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos has a renewed lay-out. New, prestigious contributors and more gastronomic subjects are also announced.

The June issue contains the following information on Port Wine:

New product:
The Quinta de Ventozelo LBV 2000 gets 15.5 poits from the editorial staff on a score chart from 0 to 20.

Port and Port region 250 years:
Samuel Alemão describes the history of the demarcation and the commemoration programm from August 31^st to the end of December. In this article the Port region is again wrongly called the first demarcated wine regio in the world (see our News item of 31/12/05).

Symington group negotiates about Cockburn’s/Martinez.
03/06/06. Beam Global in New York confirmed by communiqué to be engaged in negotiations with the Symington Family regarding the current production of Port Wine and table wine by Cockburn Smithes. The two groups hope to finish consultations at the beginning of the summer.
The plans contain the transfer of the quintas, wineries and warehouses of Cockburn’s. Beam Global Spirits & Wines, part of Fortune Brands, wil maintain ownership of and the control over the brands Cockburn’s, Martinez and Carvalho Ribeiro & Ferreira in Lisbon. They will continue the commercial strategy, the marketing, the sales and the distribution of the brands on world scale. The Symington’s will produce the Ports and the table wines for Beam.
A representative of Beam said in the statement: “Symington’s is a certain and highly respected name in the Port sector, known for the quality of its wine and for the leading role in the market section with the highest quality”.
(Source: Público of 26/05/06.)

Barros Almeida sold?
03/06/06. Público stated that the Barros Almeida group will be purchased by the Spanish Caixa Nova / Sogevinus owner of, amongst others, Cálem. The newspaper did however not succeed in getting a confirmation on this by either Sogevinus or Barros.
Barros Almeida is owned by the Barros family and encompasses a.o. the brands Kopke, Hutcheson Feuerheerd, Feist and Souza. The group is also owner of including the Quintas Dona Matilde and São Luiz.
Caixa Nova is a regional bank in Galicia, with many activities for and in the agricultural sector. It has accommodated its Portuguese wine activities in the holding Sogevinus. The group bought Cálem in 2003, Q. de Arnozelo in 2004 (200 hectares, of which 100 under vine) and Burmester and Gilberts in 2005.
With this acquisition the group would become fifth in size in the Port industry with about 10% and behind the Symington group (± 17%), Sogrape (± 16%), Gran Cruz (± 15%) and The Fladgate Partnership (± 12%).
(Source: Público of 19/05/06.)

Vintage under screw caps?
03/06/06. Quinta do Côtto has marketed two Douro table wines under screw caps. Owner Miguel Champalimaud said: “Today a cork is more expensive than a liter of wine. We have become cork salesmen instead of wine sellers. The change saves me 20 cents.”
Joaquim Lima, head of the Portuguese Cork Association, reacted with: “We are obviously unhappy with this move because one of the main drivers for the cork industry is the wine sector.”
Winemaker Manuel Lobo said: “We have been studying this type of closure for the past two years and are very pleased with it. Even putting Vintage Port under screw cap is not out of the question.”
(Sources: Reuters of 19/04/06 and Decanter Online of 21/04/06.)

Some days Oporto and Gaia.
03/06/06. Every visit to Oporto is attractive but some sunny days in May make it wonderful, even when a large part of the city has been broken up for works.
We were successful in checking the information in the articles from our Files and we do not need to change much. We visited two new shops: Lugar do Vinho of Quinta do Ventozelo and an establishment of Adega Cooperativa de Favaios.
In Vila Nova de Gaia we saw the visitor centres of Graham’s and Taylor’s. Both are well worth the steep climb from the quay. It was delicious to again inhale the characteristic full Port Wine smell. The Restaurant Barão de Fladgate made us very enthusiastic. The view there is terrific and we ate one of the best Bacalhau dishes we ever tasted.
For our Library we brought home some interesting books.
Soon we will publish more on all of this.

News from Quinta do Ventozelo.
03/06/06. New product: Reserva Tawny Port. “Our customers were demanding a good value ready-to-drink Port Wine, without compromising the quality. We came up with this wine, that spends an average of 7 years in wood, the result being a smooth and very complex wine.”
Tiago Maia, Agricultural Engineer, talks: “The weather conditions of the 2005/2006 agricultural year have been more favourable than the previous year. Satisfactory rainfall levels since the beginning of Autumn until now have allowed for the normal groundwater absorption and plant growth.
Temperatures at the beginning of Spring have been normal for these periods, favouring the correct development of the new plants. On the sanitary side, in spite of the rainfall levels, there haven’t been any diseases affecting the plants.
As for the perspectives on productivity, there are two situations to consider. The first concerns the vines under formation, which are about to enter into full production, where we forecast a significant increase in the yield, resulting from the general healthy state of the plants and the increase in the number of buds retained after pruning, compared to last year.
The second situation concerns the vines under production, where, in spite of the general good state of the plants, springing is lower than last year, so we can say that we do not expect a significant increase in the production, maybe even a decrease. On the other hand the smaller number and size of brunches per vine make us expect an increase in the quality of the wines.”

Study visitors lodges.
03/06/06. The AEVP, the organization of large shippers, has made a study of the visitors of the lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. Almost 2,000 people were interviewed from June to December 2005.

33.9% of the visitors drink Port Wine less than once a month, 29.2% between once and twice a month and 29.1% more than twice a month. The largest consumers are Brasilians of over 65 years.

67.4% visit the caves for the first time.

16% of the visitors is between 15 and 24 years old, 28.4% between 25 and 34 years, 14.3% between 35 and 44 years and 2.9% between 45 and 54 years.

76.3% of the visitors come from Europe and 18.7% from North- and South-America. The figures by country are as follows:
Portugal 15.1%.
France 14.7%.
Spain 12.2%.
U.K. 9.3%.
Belgium 4.1%.
Germany 3.6%.
Italy 2.9%.
Denmark 2.4%.
and
Brasil 7.2%.
USA 5.9%.
Canada 3.6%.

It is striking that The Netherlands, always high scoring in the consumer statistics, does not appear in these visitor numbers at all.
For much more information on this study see www.aevp.pt

Cooperatives in difficulties.
03/06/06. Several cooperatives in the Douro region are in difficulties. The main cause of this is the decrease of the prices of table wines to less than 150 Euros a pipa of 550 litres.
João Paulo Martins says in his book “A Wine Lover’s Guide to Port” (2000) that the cooperatives produce 60% of all Douro table wines and 40% of all Port Wines.
Early 2006 it was announced that the bank took possession of all properties of Adega Cooperativa de Sanfins do Douro. Eight employees were dismissed. The debts had increased to over 2.5 million Euros.
Mid April the cooperatives of Alijó, Favaios, Pegarinhos and Sanfins do Douro conferred with the Ministry of Agriculture. The president of Adega Cooperativa de Alijó said in the Jornal de Notícias of April 13^th: “The government showed interest in institutional, technical and financial aid.”
According to the newspaper there are four suggestions on the table: merger, concentration, working out of a commercial partnership or foundation of a trading company. This last variant has the most interest of the four cooperatives and seems most attainable. The aim is a larger trade and reduction of costs.

However, the Vice Secretary of State of Agriculture said in the newspaper O Primeiro de Janeiro of April 2^nd: “There will only be help for cooperatives which want to merge, want to create new commercial strategies and want to focus on export.”

Link of the month June 2006.
03/06/06. For this month we have chosen www.quintadapacheca.com
This characteristic quinta with its splendid driveway is situated in Cambres-Lamego and is owned by the Serpa Pimentel family. Since 2005 Maria, Catarina and José are in charge (see also our News item of 05/11/05).
The site is hosted in a very dominant manner by Wonderfulland, but the real Pacheca pages have been beautifully designed. The offered information is good and is available in English and Portuguese.
The photo series of the still to built luxery hotel with fourteen rooms on the site of the former winery and the former warehouse deserves special attention.

Museu do Côa ready end 2008.
03/06/06. Mid March the Portuguese Minister of Culture declared that the art and archaeological museum in Vila Nova de Foz Côa is now a priority of the government. The construction of this ”Museum de Arte e Arqueologia do Vale do Côa “ should start early 2007 and be ready by the end of 2008. The building costs will amount to 21 million Euros. (See also Files/Round trip 11.)
The design competition already finished at the end of 2004. The winner was the architect’s firm of Pedro Tiago Lacerda Pimentel and Camilo Bastos Rebelo from Oporto. The building will be 6,000 square metres in size. The length will be 190 metres.
For more information see: www.min-cultura.pt/coa/pt/Misc/Museum_Catalog

Sale numbers January - March 2006.
03/06/06. The sales numbers have again increased. Important is that the figures for Special Categories grew more than those for the Standard Ports. The newest numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto are as follows:

-         the volume of all Port sold increased by 0.4%.
-         the revenue of all Port sold increased by 2.3%.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 8.1%.
-         the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 16.2%.

The top six in volume were:

France 32.7%; + 11.9%.
The Netherlands 19.5%; - 5.1%.
Belgium 12.6%; - 2.8%.
Portugal 9.5%; - 7.4%.
UK 5.9%; - 14.8%.
USA 5.5%; + 11.9%.

The top six in revenue were:

France 26.0%; + 7.7%.
The Netherlands 15.8%; - 6.2%.
USA 11.2%; + 21.4%.
Belgium 10.9%; - 1.2%.
Portugal 10.8%; - 3.0%.
UK 7.6%; + 0.4%.

The top six in volume for the Special Categories were:

USA 24.76%; + 21.1%.
UK 19.22%; + 20.2%.
France 13.7%; + 5.8%.
The Netherlands 9.95%; + 11.1%.
Canada 8.79%; - 18.9%.
Portugal 7.38%; + 2.9%.

The top six in revenue for the Special Categories were:

USA 29.28%; + 26.9%.
UK 16.59%; + 46.3%.
Portugal 10.55%; + 16.0%.
France 9.62%; - 0.2%.
The Netherlands 8.46%; + 4.8%.
Canada 8.45%; - 4.4%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

IVDP events calendar as of June 2006.
03/06/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Brazil, France and Portugal:

- Activities in Brazil:
. June 20th-28th - Provas Clube de Chocolate - São Paulo.
. July 25th-29th - Gourmet & Cia - Parque de Exposições Barigui - Curitiba.

- Fair in France:
. June 17th-21st - Vinexpo 2007 - Bordeaux - www.vinexpo.fr

- Fair in Portugal:
. June 1st-4th - ExpoVinis Portugal - 3º Salão International de Vinhos - Exponor, Matosinhos - www.expovinis.exponor.pt

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Decanter World Wine Awards 2006.
03/06/06. During the World Wine Awards 2006 of the English Magazine Decanter, Regional Trophies were granted to the following Ports:
-         Graham’s Vintage 1983.
-         Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 20 Years Old Tawny.
Gold medals were awarded to:
-         Gran Cruz 40 Years Old Tawny.
-         Q. do Crasto Vintage 2003.
-         Taylor’s Marks & Spencer 10 Years Old Tawny.
Chairman of the regional jury for Portugal, Port and Madeira was again Richard Mayson, author of Port and the Douro.
For more information and the many Silver and Bronze medals and Commended Wines see: www.decanter.com/worldwineawards/2006/results.php

International Wine Challenge 2006.
03/06/06. During the International Wine Challenge 2006 of the English magazine Wine International, Gold medals were granted to the following Ports:
-     Andresen Royal Choice 20 Years Old Tawny.
-         Andresen Vintage 2003.
-         Barros Colheita 1976.
-         Cálem Magnificent Reserve Ruby.
-         Churchill Graham Q. do Gricha Vintage 2004.
-         Dalva Vintage 2003 (C da Silva).
-         Dow’s 40 Years Old Tawny.
-         Dow’s Ribeira Vintage 2002.
-         Ferreira Vintage 2003.
-         Graham’s Six Grapes (Reserve).
-         Gran Cruz Vintage 2000.
-         Offley Vintage 1989.
-         Q. do Infantado LBV 2001.
-         Q. do Portal Vintage 2003.
-         Q. do Portal+ Vintage 2003.
-         Q. do Vale D. Maria Vintage 2003 (Lemos & van Zeller).
-         Q. do Vesúvio Vintage 2003 (Symington’s).
-         Sandeman 30 Years Old Tawny.
-         Silval Vintage 2000 (Q. do Noval).
-         Taylor’s Q. de Vargellas Vintage 1996.
-         Taylor’s Vintage 1985.
More information and the many Silver and Bronze medals and Seals of Approval Awards can be found at: www.wineint.com/story.asp?sectioncode=8&storyCode=2087 (choose Douro).

Revista de Vinhos no. 198, May 2006.
03/06/06. The May issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgement by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
- D.R. LBV 2000 (Agri – Roncão; Augostinho Amável Costa) 15,5 points.
- (Wiese &) Krohn Rio Torto Ruby Reserve 15,5 points.

Rozès:
João Paulo Martins describes this Port house of French origin now owned by the French concern Vranken Monopole.
Rozès sells about 2 million bottles a year. The company owns nine quintas with 330 hectares vineyards. The winemakers are Luciano Madureira and Manuel Henrique Silva.
Five tasting notes with judgements from 15.5 to 18.5 have been printed along with the article.

Lugar do Vinho - Oporto:
Fernando Melo reviews this new shop in the Rua Belomonte in Oporto of Quinta do Ventozelo. A shop with the same name in Peso da Régua was closed down some time ago. All products of Q. do Ventozelo but also many accessories are offered in the shop. Tastings are possible for 5, 10 and 15 Euros. Two rooms for presentations and parties are situated behind the shop.
Melo values Lugar do Vinho with 18 points on a score chart to 20.

Vintages 2004 (1).
06/05/06. Taylor’s and Fonseca of The Fladgate Partnership are the first houses to officially announce they will bottle Vintages 2004. It are the:
-         Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas.
-         a small quantity of the very rare Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha.
-         Taylor’s Quinta de Terra Feita.
-         Fonseca Quinta do Panascal.
-         a small quantity of the Fonseca Guimaraens from selected plots in their vineyards in the Pinhão and Távora valleys.
For more information see: www.fladgatepartnership.com

On May 10th the following Vintages 2004 will be presented in London:
-         Adriano Ramos Pinto.
-         Alves de Sousa Quinta da Gaivosa.
-         Churchill Graham’s Quinta da Gricha.
-         Pintas (Wine & Soul of Sandra Tavares and Jorge Borges).
-         Quinta do Crasto.
-         Quinta de la Rosa.
-         Quinta do Vale Meão (Whytingham’s).
and of the Symington group:
-         Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira.
-         Quinta do Vesuvio.
-         Quinta de Roriz (jointly with João van Zeller).

Further, the following Vintages 2004 were announced in the Port forum on www.fortheloveofport.com of Roy Hersh:
-         Casal dos Jordões.
-         Quinta do Portal.
-         Vista Alegre (Vallegre Vinhos).
-         Quinta de Valle Longo (Vallegre Vinhos).
-         Quinta do Vale Dona Maria (Critiano van Zeller).
and of the Symington group for later release as mature Quinta Vintage:
-         Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim.
-         Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos.
-         Warre’s Quinta de Cavadinha.

Solene 2006 marketed.
06/05/06. Late March, Wine Cluster Co has marketed its 2006 bottling of the Porto Solene Special Reserve Ruby and its Special Reserve Tawny. Both wines are selected from the stocks of Manoel D. Poças Junior. Each year 50,000 numbered bottles are produced of the Ruby Reserve as well as of the Tawny Reserve.
The Porto Solene is supplied in splendidly designed half litre bottles in an austere black box. The packaging as well as the wines have already won many awards. For more information and images see: www.portosolene.com
Porto Solene is for sale word-wide. Unfortunately however not in The Netherlands because of overlap of brand rights.

Vintages 2003 in embassy The Hague.
06/05/06. On April 19^th the ICEP organized a tasting with 48 Vintages 2003 for a panel of Dutch wine journalists in the Portuguese embassy in The Hague. The ICEP is the Portuguese government institute for trade promotion.
Winner was the Portal+ with 19 points. Quinta do Portal itself says about this “second brand”: “This is a more approachable wine than the classic 2003.” Quinta do Vesúvio, Porto Seguro (Poças) and Silval-Q. do Noval were second best with 18.5 points.
The tasting has been organized as a competition between two groups of journalists who had to judge half the entries each and so had to choose sixteen wines for the final. It is possible that because of this their choise was especially determined by the quality at this moment and not by the potential of the wines to develop in the next decades.
For the complete results see: Results Vintage 2003 Tasting, The Hague, April 19^th, 2006.
For more information on the Vintage 2003 see several News items in the months of June and December in News Archives 2005.

Link of the month May 2006.
06/05/06. For this month we have chosen http://eng.sogrape.pt/marcas/8/historia of Ferreira.
Sogrape is the last of the large concerns to present its Port brands on the internet. The concern did not do this with separate websites, but as parts of a joint site with all concern activities. Obviously, Sandeman, purchased in 2002, has always had its own site and will continue to do so.
The information, which Sogrape offers on Ferreira, is rather brief for such a large brand.
Much information is still lacking in the English version of the products. The site is available in Portuguese and English. The Portuguese version can be reached through www.sogrape.pt (choose Português, Marcas and Portfólio de Marcas.)

Railways threatened and plan for reopening.
06/05/06. Rail journeys in the Douro region offer magnificent possibilities (see also Files/Round trip 6). However, the minister of Public Works and Tranport has confirmed the following plans of the Portuguese railway company:
-         closing of the line alongside the Rio Tamega to Amarante.
-         closing of the line alongside the Rio Corgo to Vila Real.
-         closing of the line alongside the Rio Tua to Mirandela.
-         drastic limitation of the timetable on the line Oporto - Peso da Régua.
The lines are economically unremunerative. Opponents point to the social significance (transport of students and inhabitants of isolated villages) and the importance for the tourism.
The line alongside the Rio Tua is doubly threatened by the construction of a dam near the estuary of the Tua, the activities of which should start in 2009.
The closing of the lines is expected in 2010 so we still have some years to make or repeat these splendid trips.
(Source: Jornal de Notícias of 29-03, 02-04, 06-04 and 10-04-2006.)

The Spanish government has a diametrically opposed policy towards the development of the area. The Spanish are to invest 500,000 Euros for the reopening of the 78 kilometre long railway between Fuente de San Estevan and Barca de Alva at the Spanish/Portuguese border. However, the 30 kilometre long section between Pocinho and Barca de Alva at the Portuguese side has also to be restored.
(Source: Diário de Notícias of 01/04/2006.)

Links page: changes in May 2006.
06/05/06. We added to Port links:
-         www.hotelburmester.com
-         www.delaforce.com
-         www.adegacooperativadefavaios.pt
-         www.quintadoinfantado.pt
-         www.amorim.com/conteudo.aspx?contentid=13 of Natureza, the holding of Hotel Burmester and Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo.
-         www.pocas.pt
-         www.quintadoromeu.com
-         www.alvesdesousa.com of the Quinta’s da Aveleira, das Caldas, da Estação, da Gavoisa and do Vale da Raposa.

We added to Port tourism links:
- www.quintadomontetravesso.com see also Files/Round trip 14.1e.

We have removed the following websites because they had become sufficiently:
-         www.2000yearsvintage.com of Ferreira.
-         http://portsparadise.blogspot.com
-         http://roseiraricou.e-mercatura.net

Moreover we have adapted some adresses to the last changes.

IVDP events calender as of May 2006.
06/05/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Brazil, Portugal, Spain and the UK:

- Activities in Brazil:
. May 9th - Prova de Vinhos do Douro e do Porto - Florianópolis - Majestic Palace Hotel - Santa Catarina.
. June 1st-30th - Projecto Daslu-Portugal Marca - São Paulo.
. July 25th-29th - Gourmet & Cia - Parque de Exposições Barigui - Curitiba.

- Fair in Portugal:
. June 1st-4th - ExpoVinis Portugal - 3º Salão International de Vinhos - Exponor, Matosinhos - www.expovinis.exponor.pt

- Activities in Spain:
. May 28th-31st - Vinoble - Wine Fair - Palácio Al-Cazar - Jerez de la Frontera - http://www.ivdp.pt/noticia.asp?idioma=0&cod=126&

- Fair in the UK:
. May 16th-18th - London International Wine and Spirits Fair - Stands IVDP: A10 and A20 - http://www.londonwinefair.co.uk/

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Wine Tourism Awards 2006.
06/05/06. The Great Wine Capitals Global Network has granted its annual tourism awards for the third time. The capitals, which are part of the group, are: Bilbao-Rioja, Bordeaux, Cape Town, Florence, Melbourne, Mendoza, Oporto and San Francisco-Napa Valley.
On December 31^st we already published about the International Winner Award in the category Architecture which Cálem won with its renovated lodges (see our News item of 31/12/05).
National Winner Awards were granted to:
-         Quinta das Aveleiras in the category Accomodation.
-         Quinta das Brôlhas in the category Architecture.
-         Quinta de Ervamoira of Ramos Pinto in the category Parks & Gardens.
-         Quinta da Pacheca in the category Special Wineries Tourism.
-         Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman in the category Winery restaurants.
For more information see: www.greatwinecapitals.com/bestof/view_list.php

Vinitaly 2006 - Verona.
06/05/06. During the 40^th Vinitaly in Verona, Italy from April 6^th to 10^th, the 14^th International Wine Competition was organized.
The Gilberts LBV 2001 won a gold medal.
Special mentions got the:
-         Cálem Vintage 2003.
-         Burmester 30 Years Old Tawny.
-         Quinta do Estanho 20 Years Old Tawny.
For more information see:
www.vinitaly.com

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2006 in Lisbon.
06/05/06. This year the 13th Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was organized for the first time in Lisbon and not in Brussel. It took place from April 21^st to 23^rd .
The Vista Alegre LBV 2000 of Vallegre Vinhos won a Great Gold Medal.
Gold medals there were for:
-         Adega Cooperativa de Alijó Encostas Douradas 10 Years Old Tawny.
-         Andresen LBV 2000.
-         Cálem Vintage 2003.
-         Cálem 30 Years Old Tawny.
-         Dalva Colheita 1975 (C. da Silva).
-         Ferreira Quinta do Porto 10 Years Old Tawny.
-         Ferreira Vintage 2000.
-         Gran Cruz LBV 1992.
-         Offley Baron de Forrester 20 Years Old Tawny.
-         Offley 30 Years Old Tawny.
-         Poças Colheita 1991.
-         Poças LBV 2000.
-         Vista Alegre Vintage 2003 (Vallegre Vinhos).
For more information and the silver medals see: www.concoursmondial.be

Challenge International du Vin 2006 - Bourg-sur-Gironde.
06/05/06. During the 30^ste Challenge International du Vin in Bourg-sur-Gironde on April 22nd gold medals were granted to the following Ports:
-         Burmester Tordiz 40 Years Old Tawny.
-         SPR Vinhos Vintage 2003.
-         Quinta de Valle Longo Vintage 2003 (Vallegre Vinhos).
-         Vista Alegre Vintage 2003 (Vallegre Vinhos).
For more information, the nine silver and the eight bronze medals see: www.challengeduvin.fr

Revista de Vinhos no. 196, March 2006.
06/05/06. The March issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contained the following information on Port Wine:

Quinta do Crasto:
António Falcão describes the wine activities of this quinta of the Roquette family. Q. do Crasto is situated in Gouvinhas-Sabrosa on the south bank of the Douro between Regúa and Pinhão.
The company is 130 hectares in size of which 71 hectares under vine. The winemakers are Dominic Morris and Susana Esteban.
Q. do Crasto has made Douro table wines for eleven years, but Port Wine for over a hundred years (Vintage and LBV Unfiltered).
The Roquette family has plans for tourist accomodation in the future.
Tasting notes of Luís Lopes have been printed along with the article. He values the LBV 1999 with 16 points.

Tourism Cálem in Gaia:
Fernando Melo reviews the tourist activities in the lodges of Cálem (Caixanova/Sogevinus) in Vila Nova de Gaia. These strategically situated accomodations (on the quay and next to the double-decked steel Ponte Luís I) are visited by about 100,000 people annualy.
Melo values the tourist activities with 17 points on a score chart to 20.

Revista de Vinhos no. 197, April 2006.
06/05/06. The April issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgement by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
-         Quinta do Javali LBV 2001 15.5 points.
-         Niepoort Júnior Ruby (Standard) 15 points.
-         Niepoort Senior Tawny (Reserve) 16 points.
-         D.R. 30 Years Old Tawny (Agri-Roncão; Agostinho Amável Costa) 17.5 points.

Names protection:
Samuel Alemão describes the problems with the origin name “Porto” and the type indications “Vintage”, “Ruby” and “Tawny”. The European Commission has made agreements about this with the United States, South Africa and Australia. (See also our News items of 01/04/06 and 05/11/05.)
An important passage in his article is:
“The American Congres will have to change the famous Amatto law which does not recognize the Douro, Champagne or Jerez as an origin name.”
Next he quotes Jorge Monteiro, the president of the IVDP, with the statement:
“If they do not do this I think it is recommendable that one reconsider the agreement.”

Port Wine on board:
Paulo Narciso discusses the wines on board of airplanes. The TAP serves two Port Wines, the Sandeman LBV and the Churchill’s Branco Seco. Air France, British Airways and Iberia do not have Port Wine available.

Results Vintage 2003 Tasting, The Hague, April 19th, 2006.
06/05/06. (alfabetical order)

19 points:
- Portal+

18.5 points :
- Quinta do Vesúvio
- Porto Seguro (Poças)
- Silval-Q. do Noval

18 points:
- Borges
- Hutcheson
- Kopke
- Krohn
- Pintas
- Quarles Harris
- Q. do Noval
- Vista Alegre

17.5 points:
- Cálem
- Gould Campbell
- Graham's
- Sandeman

17 points:
- Q. de Santa Bárbara
- Q. do Infantado
- Q. do Ventozelo
- Ramos Pinto
- Romariz
- Smith Woodhouse

16.5 points:
- Barão de Vilar
- Casa de Santa Eufemia
- Cockburn's
- Delaforce
- Niepoort
- Q. da Romaneira
- Q. de la Rosa
- Q. de Roriz
- Warre's

16 points:
- Andresen
- Barros
- Dalva
- Dow's
- Portal
- Q. do Tedo
- Q. do Tedo-Savedra
- Q. do Vale D. Maria
- Rozès

15.5 points:
- Boa Vista-Offley
- Burmester
- Canais-Cockburn's
- Feist
- Fonseca
- Poças
- Q. do Vale Meão
- Senhora do Convento

Symington buys Q. do Bom Retiro Pequeno.
01/04/06. The Symington Family has bought Quinta do Bom Retiro Pequeno from the Serôdio family. This pequeno = small quinta was seperated from Q. do Bom Retiro (Grande) in the early part of the twentieth century. The small quinta is 46 hectares in size of which 34 hectares under vine. The Serôdio family already worked together with The Symington Family during four or five generations. The wine from Q. do Bom Retiro Pequeno is an important part of the Warre’s Vintages of Symington.
Q. do Bom Retiro (Grande) was purchased by Adriano Ramos Pinto in 1919. (Bom Retiro = nice place to rest.) This largest of the two measures 109 hectares of which 62 hectares under vine.
Both quintas are located in the Cima Corgo south of Pinhão in Valença do Douro at the Rio Torto.

Europe takes and gives - designations and grants.
01/04/06. The management committee for wines of the European Commission has made important decisions for the Port industry. The exclusivity of the origin name “Porto” was maintained. However, several designations including “Vintage”, “Ruby” and “Tawny” have been released, but Portugal, Germany and Austria opposed. Until now, these three designations have at last been protected inside the EU like typical Port names. In the meantime agreements in this spirit have been made with the United States, Australia and South Africa.
(See also our News item of 05/11/05.)
Not only the Port industry is prejudiced by this, harmful decisions have also been taken for Champagne and Sherry. As a compensation or “change” the European Commission had already provided three million Euros in 2005 on behalf of the origin promotion for the three products in the USA. Nine million Euros have now been added to this for the next three years.

Andrew Jefford: Port.
01/04/06. Today we publish a review on the book Port - An essential guide to the classic drink by Andrew Jefford.
Though this book is already over 15 years old, it is an asset for our library. Jefford gives an excellent, historical description of the development of Port. His book is beautifully illustrated including many old photographs. Obviously some developments in the field of types (Reserve) and technics (robotlagares) are lacking. The survey of the Shippers shows well how much has changed in more than 15 years.
In a preface, Anthony Hogg calls this book the fourth in a series of good Port books since 1969: Sarah Bradford - 1969, George Robertson - 1978 and Ben Howkins - 1982.
For more see: Files/Library.

Travel report in The Washington Times.
On March 25th Harvey Hagman published an extensive and good travel report on Port Wine, Oporto, Vila Nova de Gaia, the Port region and Quinta da Pacheca in The Washington Times.
The general report can be found at http://washingtontimes.com/travel/20060324-092231-4812r.htm
The report on Q. da Pacheca can be found at http://washingtontimes.com/travel/20060324-092231-5800r.htm

Link of the month April 2006.
01/04/06. For this month we have chosen www.dows-port.com Dow’s is one of the large brands of the Symington Family.
The Dow’s website is only available in English. The site has a light colour and has been beautifully designed. The offered information is excellent and extensive with, for example, information about all produced years for the Vintages.
The page Our Home/Climate offers links to a chart and a graphic with the rainfall and temperature per month in Pinhão.

Our favourites in Files/Library.
01/04/06. Each book we admit in our Library has its own charme. Nevertheless we certainly have some preferences especially based on quality and topicality.

“Port and the Douro” (1999 and 2004) by Richard Mayson is absolutely our “Port bible”. We were able to find almost everything we ever looked for in this book. When we leave for the Port region with only one book we definitely take this Mayson with us.
“A Wine Lover’s Guide To Port” (2001) by João Paulo Martins is the very best small book we know. It is amazing how much relevant information Martins was able to admit to this booklet. It is specifically suitable for those who want to orientate himself quickly. The booklet is available in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French.
“Port” (1999) by Henrik Oldenburg is the book that answers questions other books have not yet been able to.

IVDP events calender as of April 2006.
01/04/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Brazil, Denmark, Portugal, Spain and the UK:

- Activities in Brazil:
. May 2nd-4th - ExpoVinis Brasil - 3º Salão Internacional de Vinhos - Pavilhão do ITM - São Paulo - www.expovinis.exponor.pt
. May 8th-13th - Grande Prova - Florianópolis.
. May 9th - Prova de Vinhos do Douro e do Porto - Hotel Majestic Palace - Florianópolis.
. June 1st-30th - Projecto Daslu-Portugal Marca - São Paulo.
. July 25th-29th - Gourmet & Cia - Parque de Exposições Barigui - Curitiba.

- Tasting in Denmark:
. May 1st - Port Wine tasting with participation of company agents - Frimurerlogen, Odense.

- Fair in Portugal:
. April 2nd-5th - Horexpo - FIL - Lisbon - http://www.ivdp.pt/noticia.asp?cod=127
. June 1st-4th - ExpoVinis Portugal - 3º Salão International de Vinhos - Exponor, Matosinhos - www.expovinis.exponor.pt

- Activities in Spain:
. April 27th - Tasting Vintage 2003 and Dinner Harmonias e Sabores - for specialized press - Restaurante Zalacain - Madrid.
. May 28th-31st - Vinoble - Wine Fair - Palácio Al-Cazar - Jerez de la Frontera - http://www.ivdp.pt/noticia.asp?idioma=0&cod=126&

- Fair in the UK:
. May 16th-18th - London International Wine and Spirits Fair - Stands IVDP: A10 and A20 - http://www.londonwinefair.co.uk/

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Essência do Vinho 2006 - Oporto.
01/04/06. During the third Essência do Vinho in the Palácio da Bolsa in Oporto from February 24^th to 26^th a top 10 of Portuguese wines was chosen by a large international jury. On that list are one white wine, seven red wines and two Ports. The Ports are the:
-         Fonseca Vintage 2003.
-         Taylor’s Vintage 2003.
For more information see: www.essenciadovinho.com

Vinalies Internationales 2006 - Paris.
01/04/06. The L’Union des Oenologues de France organized the Vinalies Internationales 2006 in Paris from February 24th to 28th. The “Liqueur Trophee” was awarded to the Ferreira Duque de Bragança 20 Years Old Tawny. Gold medals went to the:
-         Barão de Vilar 10 Years Old Tawny.
-         Barão de Vilar Colheita 1996.
-         Burmester 10 Years Old Tawny.
-         Burmester LBV 2001.
-         Ferreira Duque de Bragança 20 Years Old Tawny.
-         Rozès Vintage 2003.
-         Sandeman 10 Years Old Tawny.
-         Sandeman 30 Years Old Tawny.
-         São Pedro das Águias LBV 1997.
-         Vallegre Vista Alegre LBV 2000.
More information and the eighteen silver medals can be found at: www.oenologuesdefrance.fr/vinalies/archives.php?annee_vinalies=2006 and choose Pays: Portugal and Region: Douro.

Bacchus 2006 - Madrid.
01/04/06. The seventh Bacchus International Wine competition was organized in Madrid from March 18^th to 21^st . Port products did not win a Great Gold Bacchus.
Gold Bacchus Awards were granted to the:
-         Cálem Vintage 2003.
-         C. da Silva Dalva Colheita 1975.
-         Manoel D. Poças Pousada LBV 2000.
-         Quinta do Estanho Vintage 2000.
-         Sandeman Vau Vintage 2000.
-         Vallegre Quinta de Valle Longo Vintage 2003.
For more information and the Silver Bacchus Awards see: www.uec.es/bacchus/premiadosbacchus2006.pdf

Wine Masters Challenge 2006 - Estoril.
01/04/06. During the eigth Wine Masters Challenge in Estoril, Portugal from March 24th to 26th Gold Medals are awarded to the:
-    Calém Vintage 2003.
-    Ramos Pinto Bom Retiro 20 Years Old Tawny.
-    Ramos Pinto Q. da Ervamoira 10 Years Old Tawny.
-    Agri Ronção Dr Porto 10 Years Old Tawny.
-    Agri Ronção Dr Porto 30 Years Old Tawny.
-    Barros Almeida Colheita 1966.
-    Barros Almeida LBV 2000.
-    Gilberts 10 Years Old Tawny.
-    Gran Cruz LBV 1998.
-    Gran Cruz Colheita 1992.
-    Gran Cruz 20 Years Old Tawny.
-    Burmester White.
-    Quinta do Estanho 30 Years Old Tawny.
-    Romariz LBV 2000.
-    SPR Vinhos Vintage 2003.
-    SPR São Pedro das Águias LBV 1997.
-    SPR Rozès White Reserve.
-    Vallegre Vista Alegre Vintage 2003.
-    Vallegre Q. de Valle Longo Vintage 2003.
-    Vallegre Vista Alegre LBV 2000.
The many Silver and Bronze Medals and the Recommended Wine Seals can be found at www.winemasters.pt/results.htm

Revista de Vinhos no. 196, March 2006.
01/04/06. Unfortunately we did not yet receive the March issue of this Portuguese magazine.

Strategic study Port and Douro wines.
04/03/06. The Portuguese government is organizing a tender for a strategic study of the future possibilities of the Douro region and its wine products. The study will cost about 300 thousand Euros and has to be ready at the end of 2006.
George Sandeman, president of the AEVP - the organization of large shippers, said at a press conference on the results in 2005: ”There is no crisis in the sector, but there are serious problems which have to be solved.”
In addition to the inventory of excisting problems the strategic study, according to Sandeman, has to encompass the investments in new export markets like the USA, the Far East, Latin America and the countries in East Europe, the attraction of new consumers and the development of new promotion forms for the products of the region.
Sandeman pleads for a good cooperation between production and trade. In this scope he deems it necessary that the financial problems of the Casa do Douro should be resolved.
(Source: www.confagri.pt of 15/12/05.)

Promotion plans IVDP in 2006.
04/03/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto will invest 300 thousand Euros more this year in the promotion of Port and Douro wines. 1.6 million Euros are available for Port, 0.5 million Euros for Douro wines. The campaign focuses on 12 countries: Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the USA, Brasil and Canada.
Jorge Monteiro, president of the IVDP, said at the announcement of the plans that his institute is pursuing the systematization of the Special Categories and additional indications like: Vintage, LBV, Vintage Character, Colheitas, Reservas, Tawnies, Old and Very Old. Aim is to decrease the number of Special Categories and to simplify the product for the consumer. However, these changes will have to be realized in consensus with the producers.
(Source: Diário Económico of 02/02/02.)

Link of the month March 2006.
04/03/06. For this month we have chosen www.niepoort-vinhos.com At last this old, respected, independent, high quality, enterprising, small Port house has its own website.
The side is light of colour and was beautifully designed. The offered information (so far only in English) is excellent.
The link/page “Process” contains much information regarding the organization of the company and its lodges and quintas.

Article Progressive Port in Wine International.
04/03/06. On January 19^th Wine International published the article Progressive Port by Richard Woodard. It is an excellent, in-depth piece with good inside information. Woodard’s benchmarks for some Special Categories are interesting but of course personal.
The article can be found at: www.wineint.com/story.asp?sc=2022

Sales numbers all 2005.
04/03/06. The small increase of the sales figures has continued in the last quarter of 2005. Numbers of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto show that:

-         the volume of all Port sold increased by 1% to 93.6 million litres.
-         the revenue of all Port sold increased by 1.2% to 405 million Euros.

-         the volume of the Special Categories sold increased by 1.4%% to 17.1 million litres or 18.3% of total trade.
-     the revenue of the Special Categories sold increased by 2.9% to 143 million Euros or 35.3% of total trade.

-     the average price increased by 0.3% to 4.32 Euros a litre.

The top 6 in volume were:

France 27.8%; - 2.3%.
The Netherlands 16.4%; + 0.5%.
Portugal 13.8%; - 0.2%.
België 12.5%; + 8.8%.
UK 11.4%; - 0.8%.
USA 4.0%; - 1.1%.

The top 6 in revenue were:

France 22.0%; - 4.1%.
Portugal 15.6%; + 0.9%.
The Netherlands 12.8%; + 2.7%.
UK 12.8%; - 6.0%.
Belgium 10.3%; + 5.5%.
USA 8.2%; + 11.0%.

The top 6 in volume for the Special Categories were:

UK 35.56%; + 6.3%.
USA 14.2%; + 1.6%.
France 10.66%; + 10.1%.
Portugal 9.45%; + 21.7%.
Canada 9.33 %; + 0.3%.
The Netherlands 5.72%; + 17.7%.

The top 6 in revenue for the Special Categories were:

UK 25.33%; - 1.0%.
USA 19.04%; + 15.4%.
Portugal 13.43%; + 21.8%.
Canada 10.58%; - 0.1%.
France 8.76%; + 5.0%.
The Netherlands 5.59%; + 23.7%.

The complete information can be found at: http://www.ivdp.pt/pagina.asp?idioma=0&codPag=73&codSeccao=6&

Roy Hersh about decanting.
04/03/06. Though he is the first to call his ideas about decanting Vintage Ports controversial, Roy Hersh has arranged and commented all his views on this subject in his newsletter of January 2006. The article is a must for every Port lover and can be found at: www.fortheloveofport.com

Four Ports in Top 100 of Wine Enthusiast.
04/03/06. The following four Ports are in the annual Top 100 of the 2005 “Best of the Best” wines of the American magazine Wine Enthusiast:
-         on 3 the Fonseca Vintage 2003 with 97 points.
-         on 8 the Graham’s Vintage 2003 with 96 points.
-         on 27 the Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003 with 95 points.
-         on 58 the Niepoort Vintage 2003 with 95 points.

Link page: additions in March 2006.
04/03/06. We have added to Port links:
-         www.jhandresen.com
-    www.winedouro.com Casal dos Jordões.
-         www.niepoort-vinhos.com
-         www.valedonamaria.com   Of Cristiano van Zeller.

IVDP events calender as of March 2005.
04/03/06. The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto has planned the following events in Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany and the UK:

- Activities in Brazil:
. May 2nd-4th - ExpoVinis Brasil - 3º Salão Internacional de Vinhos - São Paulo - www.expovinis.exponor.pt
. May 8th-13th - Grande Prova - Florianopolis.
. June 1st-30th - Projecto Daslu-Portugal Marca - São Paulo.

- Fair in Canada:
. March 23th-26th - Salon des Vins de Montreal - Wine fair for professionals and consumers - www.salondesvins.com

- Tasting in Denmark:
. May 1st - Port Wine tasting with participation of company agents - Frimurerlogen, Odense.

- Fair in Germany:
. March 26th-28th - Prowein - International Wine Fair - Düsseldorf - www.prowein.com

- Fair in Portugal:
. June 1st-4th - ExpoVinis Portugal - 3º Salão International de Vinhos - Exponor, Matosinhos.

- Fair in the UK:
. May 16th-18th - London International Wine and Spirits Fair - www.londonwinefair.co.uk

For more see: http://www.ivdp.pt/eventos.asp?idioma=0&

Revista de Vinhos no. 194, January 2006.
04/03/06. The January issue of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos contained the following information on Port Wine:

New products:
Judgement by the editorial staff. Score chart from 0 to 20.
-         Graham’s The Tawny 17 points.
-         (Wiese &) Krohn Colheita 1966 18.5 points.
-         Barros (Almeida) Colheita 1975 17 points.

(Ruby) Reserva:
A tasting panel judged 28 different brands, of which two still had the old name Vintage Character. This Port type may lead to confusion since many producers also still prominently use their own brand names like Six Grapes, Barrão de Forrester and LB. However, the type is important for the industry, as it represented 36% of all Special Categories in 2004. The tasting panel of the IVDP values the Reserve/Reserva with 7 points (the LBV with 8 and the Vintage with 9 to 10).
The very best, with 16.5 points, are Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve and Quinta da Seara d’Ordens Vintage Character. At the bottom of the list we find Caves Santa Marta with 14 points.

Quinta de Vila Maior:
Fernando Melo portrays the wine activities and the tourist offer of this quinta, belonging to the company Casa da Palmeira of Manuel J. Pinto. Q. de Vila Maior is situated near Foz do Sabor in the Vila Nova de Foz Côa area in the eastern part of the Douro Superior. The quinta does not yet have accomodations. Melo judges the tourism with 15.5 points on a chart to 20.

Revista de Vinhos: the “Best of the Year 2005”.
04/03/06. The editors of the Portuguese magazine Revista de Vinhos have published their choice of the “Best of the Year 2005” in the no. 195 issue of February 2006. The following awards were granted to the Port industry:
-         Company of the Year (fortified wines): the Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers (The Fladgate Partnership).
-         Winemaker of the Year (fortified wines): Peter Symington.
-         Wine tourism of the Year: Quinta da Casa Amarela of Laura Regueiro.
-         Awards of Excellence were for the Vintage 2003 of: Croft, Dow’s, Fonseca, Graham’s, Niepoort, Q. do Noval Nacional en Taylor’s.
-         Best from the Port region awards went to the 30 Years Old Tawny of Cálem and the Vintages 2003 of: Barros, Burmester, Delaforce, Ferreira, Offley Boa Vista, Osborne, Poças, Churchill’s Q. da Gricha, Q. das Tecedeiras, Q. de Roriz, Q. do Noval, Q. do Vesúvio, Real Companhia Velha, Smith Woodhouse, Vista Alegre and Warre’s.
-         Best Buy awards were granted to: Krohn LBV 2001, Q. do Infantado Vintage Character Rótulo Verde, Q. do Infantado LBV 2000 and Q. do Monte Bravo LBV 1999.

Revista de Vinhos no. 195, February 2006.
04/03/06. Apart from the “Best of the year 2005” (see above) the February issue of Revista de Vinhos contains the following information on Port Wine:

New product:
The Ramos Pinto LBV 2000 gets 16 points from the editorial staff on a score chart of 0 to 20.

Laws and rules:
Luís Antunes describes the effects of the sometimes already long excisting laws and rules for the Port industry. He observes a lack of political courage to take action for the sake of Port as well as Douro wines.