I started Portovino back in 2005. The idea came to my mind while returning from a visit to the country house and wine cellar of Hubert de Montille, at Beaune, Bourgogne, France. Hubert is a friend of Huguette Andre-Coret, both French lawyers. My wife Isabel and I were in Paris for the grand reception of the president of the Paris Bar Association, then Jean Marie Burguburu. Huguette arranged the visit with Hubert and we drove down to Beaune together with Nelson Landry and Maurizio Codurri.
Hubert was freshly starring at the film Mondovino. It stroked me that the Portuguese wine and most especially the Port wine was not even mentioned. Out of bounds? Why?
Back home to Porto I spoke to António Guimarães (Becas) who had just re-opened the Passos Manuel Theater. We then spoke to Vasco Mourão, owner of Cafeina group of restaurants. The three of us started the motion to set up an event to move the Portuguese winemakers: a special ante-screening of Mondovino with wine tastings at Passos Manuel followed by a dinner party and wine tastings at Cafeina and Terra. It was a major sold out.
These are the wine producers who participated:
Aneto
Carm
Casa de Cello
Caves Aliança
Crios
Esmero
Filipa Pato
Formula Wine
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
Interwine
Lavradores de Feitoria
M.E. Selections
Malheiro Dias
Niepoort
Quinta da Alorna
Quinta da Casa Amarela
Quinta da Gaivosa
Quinta da Castaínça
Quinta de Covela
Quinta de La Rosa
Quinta de Santa Julia
Quinta do Ameal
Quinta do Caldeirão
Quinta do Passadouro
Quinta do Vale da Perdiz
Quinta do Vale Meão
Quinta do Vallado
Quinta Fria
Ramos Pinto
Real Companhia Velha
Sogrape
Studio Wine
Symington
Taylor’s
Uva
Vinha Paz
Vinicom
Wine & Soul
This first edition of Portovino was a major success and big fun.
It followed the also successfull second edition, also in 2005, under the magnificent theme: Around the World in 80 Wines.
On the occasion of the 75fth rendition of the Porto Book Fair, Portovino supported a program around wine and books inspired by Julio Verne's Around the World in 80 Days. In the presence of the real thing, thanks to Jose Espirito Santo and Ivone Ribeiro of Vinho & Coisas. It was big fun.
4 June 2005 we had a sold out at restaurant Degusto for the tastings of Around the World in 80 Minutes (no it’s not a mistake, 80 wines were just too much… next time, maybe) and after meal. Here’s the list of the 15 wines from all continents we have tasted in that occasion, by order of appearence:
Whites:
- Georg Breuer, Terra Montosa, 2002, Rhein, White, Germany
- Sentinel, Chardonnay, 2003, South Africa
- Canyon Road, Sauvignon Blanc, 2001, Sonoma Valley, White, United States of America
- Louis Latour, Mersault Blanc, 2002, Burgundy, White, France
- Te Mata, Sauvignon Blanc, 2003, Hawkes Bay, White, New Zeland
Reds:
- Crios, Malbec, 2003, Mendonza, Red, Argentina
- Rosemount Diamond Shiraz, 2003, South Australia, Red, Australia
- Piedra Feliz, Pinot Noir, 2001, Aconcágua, Red, Chile
- Telmo Rodriguez LZ, Tempranillo, 2003, Rioja, Red, Spain
- Felsina, Chianti Classico, 2001, Chianti, Red, Italy
- Château Musar, 1997, Bekaa Valley, Red, Libano
- Excellence de Bonassia, 2000, Beni M'Tir, Red, Morocco
- Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, 2002, Douro, Red, Portugal
Dessert:
- Kracher Auslese, 2003, Austria
- Ats Cuvée Late Harvest, 2003, Tokaji, Hungary
After a long pause Portovino is back in 2008. If you want to learn more about Portovino's third rendition click on this link.
