Why Portugal's STILL exciting wine lovers!

THE ESTEEMED US wine critic Matt Kramer once described Portugal as “the most exciting wine place on the planet”.

- by Matt Nixson

That was a decade ago and things have gone from great to even greater since. And it’s not just fortified wines like port and madeira, for which Portugal is rightly famous, or young, “green” Vinho Verde wines that are very much having a moment, delicious as they are.

Portugal is the source of more than 250 native grapes — more than any other country in the world - which can make its wines occasionally confusing, even for experts, especially as some familiar grapes go by different names. But this also makes exploring its wines an adventure.

Situated on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal’s warm, sunny climate tempered by coastal breezes and huge range of local grapes really does make for an incredibly diverse selection.