AMERICA LOVES PORTUGUESE WINES

Portugal has again landed in the U.S. Customs’ list of top 1O wine exporters to the United States. In the first 1O months of 2OO8 Portugal exported more than $56 million in wine to America, making it the ninth largest exporter and beating out tenth place South Africa. Although Portuguese wines are not as widely known in America, they’re growing in popularity having earned the reputation for offering top quality at an affordable price. A relatively recent government investment in modernizing the wine industry and an abundance of young talent inspired many of the region’s winemakers to expand their operations beyond Port. In central Portugal, the Douro River is known for its full-bodied, bold red wines while the Dao region produces reds that are strong, deep in color and full-bodied, and whites that are aromatic and fruity. The Minho region is renowned for its vinho verdes wines and the Bairrada region is known for its sparkling red.