Friday was the day of the tasting of 50 Great Portuguese Wines selected by Julia Harding MW at the South Bank Centre (an excellent airy, light venue as it happens).

I am hoping to write some notes on these wines but meanwhile hats off to Julia Harding MW for a terrific selection for her top 50 Portuguese wines.

She made a specific point of excluding wines made from international grape varieties from the list and in concentrating on native Portuguese grapes she’s come up with a selection that’s full of character and variety.

As she herself says” “This is just the tip of the iceberg but, if I have done my job well, these 50 wines represent the glorious depth and breadth of Portugal’s wine world. The synergy of distinctive and high-quality indigenous grape varieties with the country’s dramatic landscape and climate is being creatively expressed by her hard-working and imaginative winegrowers.”

The reds and fortifieds were excellent for the most part but what really surprised and delighted me was the verve and personality of the whites and the diversity of their origins. The whites from Vinho Verde and the Douro were especially appetizing, just the sort of wines you wanted to take home with you and drink with a meal. Time for Ronaldo and friends to appoint Julia as their wine advisor.

REDS

Valle Pradinhos, Porta Velha 2009 Trás-os-Montes
Quinta Lagoalva de Cima, Grande Escolha Alfrocheiro 2008 Vinho Regional Tejo
Campolargo, Alvarelhão 2011 Bairrada
Quinta dos Barreiros, Gravato Vinhas Velhas 2008 Beira Interior
Filipa Pato, Calcário Tinto 2010 Bairrada
Luis Pato, Quinta da Ribeirinha Pé Franco 2011 Vinho Regional Beiras
Dulcineia dos Santos Ferreira, Sidónio de Sousa Garrafeira 2005 Bairrada
Quinta do Escudial, Vinhas Velhas 2007 Dão
Quinta das Maias Jaen 2008 Dão
Casa da Passarela, Vinhas Velhas 2008 Dão
Julia Kemper, Tinto 2009 Dão
Quinta do Mouro Touriga Nacional 2006 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Esporão, TN Touriga Nacional 2008 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Sonho Lusitano, Pedra e Alma 2009 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Niepoort, Robustus 2007 Douro
Symington Family Estates, Altano Quinta do Ataíde Reserva Touriga Nacional 2008 Douro
Quinta de Chocapalha, CH Touriga Nacional 2008 Vinho Regional Lisboa
Quinta do Noval 2008 Douro
Ramos Pinto, Duas Quintas Reserva 2009 Douro
Quinta do Crasto, Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2009 Douro
Quinta da Gaivosa, Abandonado 2009 Douro
Poeira 2009 Douro
Wine & Soul, Quinta da Manoella VV 2009 Douro
Quinta do Vale Meão 2009 Douro
Quinta do Vallado Sousão 2009 Douro
Quinta da Palmirinha Vinhão 2010 Vinho Verde
Casca Wines, Monte Cascas Ramisco 2009 Colares

SPARKLING

Quinta das Bageiras, Grande Reserve Bruto Natural 2003 Bairrada

WHITES

Biomanz, Dona Fátima Jampal 2011 Vinho Regional Lisboa
Casal Figueira, António 2011 Vinho Regional Lisboa
Filipa Pato, FP 2011 Vinho Regional Beiras
Dominó, Monte das Pratas Branco 2010 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Rui Reguinga, Terrenus 2010 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Fitapreta, Palpite Reserva 2009 Vinho Regional Alentejano
Quinta do Quetzal, Reserva Antão Vaz 2009 Alentejo
Quinta das Maias Malvasia Fina 2011 Dão
Quinta de Saes, Reserva Encruzado 2010 Dão
Quinta da Pellada, Primus 2009 Dão
Vales de Ambrães Avesso 2011 Vinho Verde
Adega de Monção, 2011 Vinho Verde
Quinta de Soalheiro, Primeiras Vinhas Alvarinho 2010 Vinho Verde
Afros, Loureiro 2009 Vinho Verde
Quinta de La Rosa, Branco 2010 Douro
Niepoort, Coche 2010 Douro
Wine & Soul, Guru 2008 Douro
Van Zellers, VZ 2010 Douro

FORTIFIED

Herdade do Mouchão, Mouchão Licoroso Alicante Bouschet 2006 Alentejo R 17.50 2011-19
Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões, Excellent Moscatel Roxo NV Moscatel de Setúbal
Jose Maria da Fonseca, Alambre 20 Year Old Moscatel NV Moscatel de Setúbal
Adriano Tiago, Tiagos Moscatel Superior 1993 Moscatel de Setúbal