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Originally Posted by T34C
G- I will decant before drinking and let you know how it is. I was quite surprised, my local wine shop has everything, except Portugeese wines. I may see if they can get more if this one lives up the high standard you set.
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T, I hope I recommended good. Now I'm nervous.
The reason why you don't see much PortugUese (not PortugEese) wine there, is because the wine industry in Portugal is mostly for internal consumption, made by small companies.
We as a Country are too small to have big farms to grow wine alone, in quantities that could justify export, (the French, Italian, Spanish are bigger, and have fewer labels, that's why they export more).
This obviously affects the traditional family made quality, that is why I say our wine is best (and the proof is that the French, Italians AND some Spanish actually admit it!!). Its still made with TLC (tender loving care). And they have to do it otherwise no one buys their wine and the family goes bankrupt (we are very very critical about othe wine we drink, if its bad we never buy that label again!!!). And ABSOLUTELY no chemical to accelerate like they do elsewhere. it can be traced on tasting!!
Consider our wine industry as being constantly in competition with each other. They rather make less but good, than a lot that is bad.
So occasionally a wine merchant here get a hand of unwanted surplus or have a relationship with someone that got a hold of 500 bottles, and they end up in there at 200% the cost!!! A very very bery good wine here will not cost more than $20 to $25 . collection wines maybe $100.
Most wineyards are owned as small family businesess, (we have the largest quantity of brands per 100 habitants in the World), and that allows a lot of choice. Then the wine is divided in red, white and gree, but ALDO by region!!
And the region sometimes gives it its name. Some regions like Douro, have very very good wines (that is where Port is made) Douro is the river that exits to sea in Porto city.
There is Alentejo, Setubal, Carcavelos, Bairrada (my favorite), Dão, etc.
This is something, probably the only thing, that we are really critic about. The wine.