Why You Should Be Drinking More Portuguese Wine—and How to Get Started
Sara L. Schneider
A few years ago, I found myself with a couple of days to spare in Porto (as one does), the historic coastal city where Portugal’s sweet, fortified red was traditionally made and shipped out (mostly) to its favorite market, Great Britain. During the days, I prowled the old port cellars themselves, marshaled along Vila Nova de Gaia, and explored the breathtakingly terraced vineyards along the Douro River. In the evenings, though, I set myself a challenge on a different wine front—a how-low-can-you-go experiment with bottles of dry red from a tiny corner wine shop near my hotel. Turns out, low indeed. Even dipping under $10, the wines were sound and pleasing; moving up from there, they became complex and fascinating—dark-fruited, earthy, spicy and structured.