Visit in Porto

In late June I visited Porto again. It is always nice to be back in the beautiful city, and it is always a pleasure to visit the port lodges for tastings and for meetings with old and new friends in the port business.

The main events during this visit were the celebration of São João – the main Saint of Porto - and the Enthronement Ceremony at the Confraria de Vinho do Porto. A friend of mine, the president of the board of The Vintage Port Club, was enthroned as Caveleiro and we were a small group that to took part of the event and the following dinner. A wonderful evening that gave me the chance to talk with people like David Guimaraens (Fladgate), João Nicolau de Almeida (Ramos Pinto), Gustavo Devesas (Symington), Miguel Roquette (Quinta do Crasto), Ana Rato (Ramos Pinto), Roy Hersh (For the Love of Port) and many more.

The days in Porto included a few visits and tastings as well. We started at the newly renovated lodge at Graham´s, where we a big tasting followed by a wonderful fresh tuna steak at the new Vinum Restaurant. The tuna, the wines and the view were all beautiful. The Symingtons have done at good job renovating the lodges and transforming it into at first class destination for wine tourist.

In the days to follow we visited Barão de Vilar, Sogevinus (at Cálems lodge), Noval and Ramos Pinto. A report of some of the wine tasted will follow. 

Together with other port lovers: Me, Gustavo Devesas and Roy Hersh from For the Love of Port