I first visited Portugal aged 8 in 1969, and then frequently afterwards on family holidays. So it seems inevitable that as the passion for wine grew, the country I had come to know well would feature heavily. I have observed many, many changes in the Portuguese wine world over the past 25 years, and there have been frustrations aplenty. The word “potential” has hung round the neck of Portuguese wine for far too long. But as the market matures, young producers gain more confidence from looking outside their own country, and take proper notice of what it is realistic to expect to sell on the international market, the opportunities are inspiring. There is a phenomenal depth of variety: grapes, terroir, climate, tradition, modernity within such a small country. We have barely scratched the surface.
