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Opinion article Wines of Portugal: Creating value for Portuguese wines

04 de 02 de 2021, às 19h00

The presence of Portuguese wines in international markets is today a reality and a strong contribution to the dynamics of the national economy. For many decades, Portugal, as a historic wine-producing country, has always focused more on the national market than on exports. Apart from some special categories, such as Port or Madeira, the strategy was to promote and sell in the national market and some exports to the PALOP, such as Angola and Mozambique. Excluding the Porto and Madeira categories, in 2000, our exports were just over 1 million hectoliters.

Michael Porter's study on the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy, commissioned by the Portuguese Government in 1994, is considered a milestone by the identification of 11 strategic clusters for the country, including the wine sector. It is in this context that an important step is taken with the creation, in 1997, of ViniPortugal, an Interprofessional Organization that represents the entire Portuguese wine sector and with the mission of promoting the quality and excellence of national wines. In order to make the promotion strategy more efficient and effective, in 2010, the brand "Wines of Portugal" was created, with ViniPortugal being the brand manager, of which the Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho is the owner.

The “Wines of Portugal” brand, in use for about 10 years, is a brand that creates value and contributes to the sustained growth in the volume and average price of our wines. Consistently present on four continents and 21 strategic markets, the brand has been consolidating its presence in the various markets where we operate and is now recognized abroad, transmitting its values: a world of wine diversity with authenticity and tradition, a strong connection to the regions, a strong connection to the knowledge of the author and art in the creation of blended wines and different wines, resulting from the vast heritage of indigenous grape varieties.

For the brand to continue to reach new markets and new consumers, it is vitally important that all regions and all economic agents in the wine sector, who work with certified wines, use this brand in their promotion actions and in their products. It is through the union of all that we are able to increase the value of the “Wines of Portugal” brand and, with this, valuing our wines in the world market. We are certain that Beira Interior, with all its history, with its local grape varieties and that has been offering us the excellence of altitude wines in recent years, is a fundamental region to further increase the notoriety of our collective brand “Wines of Portugal ”.

President of ViniPortugal, Frederico Falcão