D’Amato & Szabo Wine Thieves S2:E10 – Portugal: Leading Brands Safeguarding Lands

In this episode, we delve into topics such as the incentivization of growers, as well the preservation of land under vine in Portugal, which has been on a steady decline since 2007, like much of Europe. Within the framework of land conservation, we will also discuss the preservation of rare and indigenous grape varieties in Portugal. There are a few countries in the world where very rare indigenous wine grapes are found. In fact, Portugal has a surface area six times smaller than France (551,500 km²), and has over 250 varieties. This gives Portugal (92,120 km²) the highest density of indigenous wine grapes in the world, and many are on the verge of extinction. We’ll find out what large wine companies can do to help protect and preserve grape varieties that are at risk.

Also up for discussion is how climate change has affected large-scale grape farming in Portugal. Hit harder than most wine regions by rising temperatures and drought, Portugal is emerging as a global leader in responding to the climate threat.

Joining the discussion is Martim Guedes, the Co-CEO of Aveleda (along with Antonio Guedes). Martim’s great-great-grandfather Manoel Pedro Guedes founded Quinta da Aveleda 150 years ago.

The Thieves are also pleased to welcome Luís Almada to the program who is the Executive Board Member of Casa Santos Lima, a family-owned company that makes wine in Lisboa, Algarve, Alentejo, Vinho Verde and the Douro.

Also chiming in is Pedro da Fonseca, the managing partner of Vicente Leite Faria in the Douro. Born in Portugal but grew up in Canada, Pedro has a sincere love for the wines of his mother country and their proliferation abroad.

Join us for an invigorating discussion on the role of leading brands safeguarding land, grapes and tradition in Portugal.