Canela Café can be found in Seven Dials, Covent Garden and Carnaby Street in London and is offering a FREE glass of wine with its exciting menu. Canela Café brings the culinary influences of Portugal and Brazil to London, it’s a superb alternative to anything currently around the West End.

Canela is offering one free glass of wine with any main course Mon-Fri (from 12.30pm to 5pm) valued at £5.60 during July 2010.

Click here to view the menu; you have to try the Pastel de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts!)

DoILikeIt? is a new wine research company that wants to know what you – and your friends – honestly think about all things wine. Trials may range from sending you free bottles of wine to enjoy at home, to taking part in online surveys. We may also send you wine glasses or books. There’s absolutely no charge, no one will ever try to sell you anything.

To find out more and to sign up to be part of the community, visit www.doilikeit.com. Just mention at the end of the registration that you found out about DoILikeIt? through the ‘ViniPortugal newsletter’ and you will be eligible to win a case of wine.

Throughout the summer ViniPortugal will be at numerous consumer shows all over the country, so make sure you visit our stand, all you need to do is subscribe to the newsletter, print off a copy and bring it with you to claim your free goodie bag and enjoy a fantastic selection of Portuguese wines.

Dates for your diary:

CLA Game- 23rd-25th July

Here we are at the Cheshire County Show on 22nd-23rd June:

Paul Quinn is this month’s t-shirt competition winner; he wore his Wines of Portugal t-shirt when competing in the Bendrigg Lodge 10K run at Kendal, 6 bottles of Portuguese wines will be on their way to you!

If you would like to take part in next month’s T-shirt competition, contact Sarah at viniportugal@jkmarketing.co.uk to request a Wines of Portugal T-shirt, and then take a picture wearing it in the most unusual place you can think of!

The winner will receive 6 bottles of Portuguese wine and will be announced at the end of each month, the winning picture will also feature in the following monthly newsletter.

At the final ‘50 Great’ tasting of 2010 in Edinburgh, Sarah Ahmed officially handed over the ‘ViniPortugal Journalist of the Year’ baton to Tom Cannavan, wine writer and broadcaster.

As winner of the title for 2010, Tom has the task of choosing his own ‘50 Great Portuguese Wines’, and has several fact-finding tastings and visits lined up over the next few months.

Tom writes for his online wine magazine ‘Wine-Pages’: over the years ‘Wine-Pages’ has evolved into one of the world’s biggest and most visited sites on the subject of wine, attracting 400,000 unique visitors per month. Tom also writes for publications including Decanter, World of Fine Wine, Harpers Wine & Spirit and Off Licence News.

In the past the Portuguese Journalist of the Year has been given to Richard Mayson, Tim Atkin, Charles Metcalfe, Simon Woods and most recently in 2009 to, Sarah Ahmed ‘The Wine Detective’.

Once Tom has chosen his 50 great Portuguese Wines they will be available to taste at events in 2011, more information can be found at www.jkmarketing.co.uk

Journalist Tom Cannavan present a weekly wine slot on Scottish Television, last week he covered Portuguese wines.

The programme is available to watch on the STV website, click here to see it!!

Wine enthusiasts from Stratford Grape Club recently enjoyed their first visit to the Vinho Verde region. Visits were planned with the help of Bruno Almeida of the Rota dos Vinho Verdes Office in Porto.

The idyllic setting of Quinta da Aveleda was first stop. After a saunter through the fantastic gardens, the ‘serious matter’ of tasting began. Winemaker Manuel Soares led us through a range of wines from Aveleda’s wide portfolio. The Follies Alvarinho showed particularly well with its complex floral aromas and long citrus finish on the palate.

At Quinta de Simaens (part of the Borges group) we enjoyed a vineyard tour with their viticulturist who explained that they were the first in Portugal to use a new system of vine training developed in this region called ‘lys’. Riper grapes apparently develop from this system.

Onto the group’s modern production centre at Lixa for a tasting and lunch hosted by Ricardo Campos, Sales Manager. The Quinta de Lixa Loureira was fragrant, had good acidity, and plenty of citrus on the palate. The Quinta de Simaens, a blend of Paderna, Avessa and Trajadura, showed complexity of fruit and at 13.5% makes a serious food wine.

Quinta Lourosa was final visit of the day. This family estate is developing wine tourism and its lovely setting and buildings show why. Joanna de Castro, daughter and winemaker hosted us. In addition to their still wines, three Vinho Verde Espumantes are produced by the traditional method. We tasted the Brut Rosé, a blend of Syrah and Jaen plus other non-specified varieties. It had floral notes, a creamy mousse with good structure and fruit, sufficient to be enjoyed with some lightly spiced food as well as an aperitif.

So a brilliant day and a happy group returned to Porto in the late evening sunshine, now fully familiar with the region’s grape varieties and keen to source wines from this delightful region in the UK. Our thanks to organisers and producers for their generous hospitality.

Hazel Tattersall
21 June 2010

Liz Morcom has just returned from Portugal, visiting many of the well known wine regions.

Liz will shortly be writing a blog about her trip, click here to read all about her experiences in the different wine regions of Portugal

Sarah Ahmed ‘The Wine Detective’ has found fantastic deals with Nick Dobson Wines for all you Portuguese wine lovers.

Simply click here to read Sarah’s blog and for more information about the discounts.