Portugal Bound: Once Again

“Port Wine is a great wine because it is the product of long experimentation, meticulous attention to details, and strict controls; and no Portuguese vineyardist would doubt that the environment of the Douro valley, its place of origin, has played an important part in its ultimate character.”
--Landscapes Of Bacchus: The Vine in Portugal by Dan Stanislawski

Later this afternoon, I'll board a TAP Air Portugal plane, crossing the Atlantic, and headed over night to Portugal. I'll initially land in Lisbon, but then transfer to another flight, headed to my final destination, Porto. I'll land in Porto around 8am on Saturday, although for me, because of the time change, it will actually be 3am EST. I've been excited for this trip for quite some time.

I'll be journeying to this fine country for a one-week vacation. First, I'll depart from Porto and head to the Vinho Verde region, where I'll stay overnight. You may know a little about Vinho Verde wines, believing they are all inexpensive and lightly effervescent white wines. However, I'm seeking the diversity of this region, both the whites and reds, and also the non-effervescent wines. The next day, I'll head to the Douro region, where I'll stay for three nights. The Douro is the home of Port Wine though they make some excellent still wines as well. Finally, I'll go to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, staying at the famed Yeatman Hotel for the final three nights, and dining at their Michelin 2-Star restaurant on my last evening in Portugal. 

During the course of the week, I'll likely be stopping and exploring towns including Ponte de Lima, Amarante, and Pinhão. I'll also visit a number of wineries and port houses, including Quinta do Ameal, Quinta dos Murças, Quinta da Lixa, Caves da Raposeira, Quinta da Pacheca, Porto Cálem, Kopke, and more. I'll visit some historical sites, enjoy convent-made pastries, savor traditional Portuguese cuisine, eat some delicious seafood, listen to Fado music, and much more. 

Portugal is becoming a hugely popular destination for American tourists. 2019 was a record year for tourism in Portugal, which was then brought down by the pandemic. Yet, tourism has rebounded, and has even been breaking records. For example, between January and July of 2023, about 16.8 million people traveled to Portugal, a record for that country. The largest group of these tourists were from Britain, with Spain in second place, and the U.S. in third place. The number of U.S. tourists increased 27% in 2022, and increased by 26%, over 2019 figures, in the first couple months of 2023. More and more Americans are discovering the wonders of Portugal.     

This will be my second visit to Portugal and I'm very eager to see it once again, to explore places I didn't see on my prior trip. And as I've said multiple times before: "I have heard the clarion call for the wines of Portugal, those intriguing wines which seduce with their tantalizing aromas and flavors. It is my desire that many others feel the urge of that clarion call too. To that end, I have become an ardent advocate for Portuguese wines, to share all the excellence I have found in their wines."

I've written about 80 articles on Portuguese wine and food, and I've also referenced Portuguese wines, generally as a category, in numerous other articles on my blog. Over 60 Portuguese wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten Wine lists. At the wine shop where I work, I've often recommended Portuguese wines to the customers, making converts of many people. When I speak to people I meet, and the discussion leads to questions about wine recommendations, I often speak about the wonders of Portuguese wines. 

I'm also a Certified Wine Location Specialist, which includes Douro and Port wine. I was also inducted, due to my ardent promotion of Port wine, as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, essentially making me a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine.

I'm sure that I'll take many hundreds, if not thousands, of photos and a myriad of notes of my experiences in Portugal, which I'll share with my readers upon my return. And I'll share some pictures while I'm in Portugal as well. Probably the toughest part of my trip will be deciding which wines I can bring home in my luggage. At the very least, there will be aged Port, Tawny and White, coming home with me. 

Finally, I'm eager to once again enjoy a Francesinha (or two) in Porto!

"Sip your spirits and cure your cold, but I will take Port that will cure all things, even a bad character. For thee was never a Port drinker who lacked friends to speak for him.”
--William Makepeace Thackery