|
 |
| H.E. Mr. Luís Filipe Castro Mendes, Ambassador of Portugal |
During Prowein in Germany last year,
I had been invited to a dinner by G7 of Portugal. This is a group of seven
of the largest Portuguese producers who had joined hands in 1992 to promote
their wines abroad. The Chairman of G7, Paulo Amorim
who had been involved with it from the very beginning informed me that
this had been a new initiative for Portugal, not known for business consortia.
G7 and Finagra
In India, a mention of Portugal brings to mind - Goa
(and its cheap illegal imitation of Port), Port, Madeira and Mateuse Rosé,
instantly. Port is the fortified wine made in the Northern region of Porto-the
others being Vinho Verde, Bairrada, Dao and Douro. Central Portugal has
Estremadura, Colares, Bucelas and Ribatejo. Madeira is in fact also a
fortified wine produced in the island of Madeira, Southern part of Portugal
with Alentejo, Setúbal Peninsula and the lesser
known Algarve being the other regions here.
Mateuse Rose that used to be so popular in India and
rest of the world in the eighties was infact a Portuguese phenomenon-
sale of 20 million bottles of slightly fizzy and sweet, cheap Rosé
made in 130 countries, created by the biggest winery Sogrape.
Sogrape was one of the original big seven. It had opted
out last January. Replacement process is still under way leaving the current
level of G7 to six.
The six remaining G7 companies produce nearly 70 million
bottles per year, exporting to more than 120 markets. The companies are
Caves Aliança, Quinta de Aveleda, Bacalhoa, Finagra,
José Maria da Fonseca and Messias.
Wines of Finagra
The center stage of the evening was Finagra's popular
estate, Herdado de Esporão. Seven different wines
were served with the Indian sit-down dinner in the sprawling lawns of
Mrs. And H.E. Mr. Luís Filipe Castro Mendes, who
hosted the evening with élan. The lawns and the residence at Panchsheel
Marg were subtly but suitably lit, with the live Indian classical music
in the veranda giving a soothing touch to the charm for sixty discerning
members present to savour these Portuguese wines.
With 550hA of vines under its belt, Esporão has
the single biggest vineyard in Portugal whose northern region is divided
into many small and fragmented parcels due to the Napoleonic laws as in
Burgundy. Its size makes it possible to produce consistent style of wine
continuously.
Page
1 2
|