‘Wines of Portugal’ group to present wine pairings

The ‘Wines of Portugal’ group is set to return to Macau, staging a wine tasting event tomorrow featuring vintages of some 20 wineries throughout Portugal.

The wine pairing will present a lineup of approximately 200 red, white, sparkling and fortified wines, along with local delicacies.

‘Wines of Portugal’ is Portugal’s collective brand for the wine sector.

Jorge Monteiro, president of Wines of Portugal, remarked that the event aims to change the image of Portuguese wines, create awareness and teach consumers about the diversity of its wines.

“Macau was a very important market to Portugal. [Recently] we decided to focus on mainland China, […] but it’s the right time to come back to Macau […] our object is to improve the image of Portuguese wines,” Monteiro told the Times via telephone.

“We know that Portuguese wines are gastronomic wines and the trade [event] will be the opportunity to not only taste wines but to match with food,” he added.

The “2018 Perfect Portuguese Pairings” is set to be the group’s first main event in Macau, following the wine educational programs it held several years ago.

Monteiro acknowledged that the wine market in Macau is a competitive trade, particularly with the presence of large integrated resorts in the city, adding that most wine consumers in the region are not from Macau.

“Sooner or later they would prefer more complex wines […] it is also a complex approach but we are looking for a new kind of [importer] not just [from] the Portuguese community but also international traders.”

The president expressed his confidence in the city’s market, suggesting that Macau is an effective platform for wine trading.

However, he regretted that the group does not have enough time to educate consumers about wine pairings.

“This needs time and opportunity to put consumers to tasting more complex wines. It’s not easy [so] we should try to convince the opinion leaders and key people like consumers and scholars so that we can improve our situation in the market,” Monteiro explained.

According to the president, Portugal boasts more than 250 indigenous grapes that present a spectrum of different flavors.

He noted that Portuguese wines have already established a foothold in the global market and are consumed by connoisseurs around the world.

“Portuguese wines are among the best in the world and that’s why so many international awards are given each year to our wines,” he said.

Tomorrow’s “2018 Perfect Portuguese Pairings” is open to trade professionals and consumers at the JW Marriot Hotel from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.