Food & Wine — Portugal

Port you say? What many generations of people used to embrace is now becoming less dominate in the American food scene. You capture a glimpse of it on the after dinner drink menu or in Grandma's shopping cart on Wednesday afternoons. Like fashion, wine trends may come and go, Port however paved the way for the fortified wine category. It still remains as one of the most iconic and recognizable wines in the same context as Bordeaux and Sherry.  Port "styled" wines can be made around the world, however real Port is made in the Douro Valley in Portugal, named after...

[caption id="attachment_2654" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Vinho Verde: Rows of Loureiro Grapes in October[/caption]Portugal is famous for its Port wine history, however the region just north of Porto and Douro River is a thriving area called Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is the second-highest selling wine in Portugal. The region was demarcated in 1908 and is considered to be one of the oldest regions in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe. It spans from the Douro to the Minho River near Spain. To the north there is the Minho River, the south is the Douro River, and the Freita, Arada and...

Spend a little time in the second largest city in Portugal and you will find out why Porto has such a draw. The city that gave name to the nation is also a wine producing region of White, Red, Rose, Sparkling and Fortified wines. Just on the opposite of Porto is the city called Gaia, where all the famous Port Houses store and cellar their wines. You may know Port to be good pairing with blue cheese or dark chocolate, however a little bit of walking around in Port and you won't be able to take your eyes off these...