The reasons why Portugal

year in which a war broke out, bringing us economic weaknesses and even fragile access to markets.

“However, as always, this is a sector that never gives up and the goals for 2023 remain ambitious,” Falcão added. “We want to reach €1bn, basing this growth on the increase in average price. This is what we are working for, not only in terms of promotion in traditional markets but also opening up new markets where Portuguese wine has great potential for growth.”

Independent favourite

Inevitably, it’s the multiple grocers –responsible for some 80% of total UK offtrade wine sales – that have had the most significant impact on Portugal’s growing volume in the UK.

But independents, in their role as market-shaping trendsetters, have been a cornerstone of the country’s rise in popularity, and the markers in this part of the trade remain highly positive.

As ever, Portugal put in a strong performance in what is arguably the most comprehensive overview of the latest thinking in the independent trade: The Wine Merchant’s annual reader survey. It was just pipped by Italy as the respondents’ “most interesting” wine country, after taking top slot in 2022.

But the country’s importers and producers will perhaps be even more pleased that good vibes are more than ever translating into sales: the country has risen from ninth to sixth place on the list of respondents’ best-selling countries.

No wonder Wines of Portugal is set to