Recently we received new year gifts from the Trade & Investment Agency of Portugal (AICEP)—a “Happy Niu (Ox) Year” stamp as the following:

And the other is even more exciting—a 100 RMB coupon for Portuguese wines at the Portugal National Pavilion on JD!

Please scan the QR code and sign for it!

【Read more on Portuguese wines】

Most Portuguese wines reach a good average standard but they are seldom comparable with the fine wines of either France or Germany. However, in stating this there are a select few private estates that produce quite fine wine reserved for private consumption that never reaches the general public. The Portuguese production of over 10.000. 000 hectolitres places it as the seventh greatest producer of wine in the world.

 History

It is impossible to say from what period Portuguese grapes were turned into wine. The probability of in excess of 5.000 BC. is a safe assumption. Even during the Moorish occupation with the ban demanded by the Koran, it is recorded that wine was being made at a Monastery at Lourvão. More modern records show that wine was being exported to England in the early twelfth century. In 1353 Portugal and England signed a treaty allowing Portuguese fishermen to fish off the English coast and thus encouraging Portuguese trade. A later record shows that in 1365 the Mayor of Dartmouth found himself in trouble for seizing a shipment of sweet wine named "Osey and Algarve". The trade in wine became so intense that a British vice-consul was appointed to the town of Viana do Castelo to represent British interests. In 1703 this trade increased even further due to the Treaty of Methuen granting Portuguese wines preference over French for importation into England. Throughout the ages Portuguese exported wine have been referred to using names such as "Bastardo", Charneco" and "Riptage". The names refer back to the region within Portugal of their origin.

After the adhesion of Portugal to the EU, the following designations were applied to wine in order to control the "Appellation".

 EU - Regulations

CVR - Regional Wines – Wines that are not DOC or IPR and are produced in a specific region from at least 85% of locally grown grapes
 DOC - Controlled Appellation Wines produced in a Geographical Limited Region
 IPR - Regulated Origin of Wines with specific characteristics during a minimum of five years
 VEQPRD - Sparkling Wine produced in a Denominated Region
 VQPRD - Liquor Wine produced in a Denominated Region
 Table Wines - All wines that do not qualify under the above classifications

(Above: from http://www.portugal-info.net/)

Cheers!