It’s Port Wine Day today!

I’m in lovely Oporto today for the inaugural Port Wine Day.  Organised by the IVDP it celebrates the demarcation and regulation of the world’s first wine region, the Alto Douro, 258 years ago.  The aim is to hold the event, which comprises seminars and a major tasting, each year.

Looking forward as well as backward this year’s programme features public seminars on the “Challenges of the Asian wine market” and “The future of matching food and wine.”  Speakers include Hong Kong resident MW Debra Meiburg and Ferran Centelles who worked as a sommelier at renowned Spanish restaurant el Bulli.

Fittingly, the tasting (for invited members of the trade only) will focus on Vintage Ports from the first decade of this century – a period during which the Port trade’s investment in vineyards and developments in the winery (notably piston-driven technology) has put quality and consistency at an all time high.

So raise a toast to Port Wine Day today.  Perhaps, given the season, a lightly chilled tawny or premium white Port – categories which have never been so interesting.  And, since the harvest is underway, why not raise another toast to this year’s crop about which the team at Quinta do Crasto told me they’re “feeling enthusiastic and optimistic.” Now wouldn’t that be a fabulous outcome of today’s event.