Based on quality, value, availability and emotion, more than 5000 remarkable wines were classified above 90 points by the prestigious North American magazine Wine Spectator, from which 100 were considered the best wines in the world in 2014.
Founded by Bob Morrisey in 1976, the specialized magazine is the most important and influent in the wine industry, Nowadays it has editions around the two million copies.
Every year the Wine Spectator's tasting team evaluates more than 18,000 wines from all over the world to create the top 100 list. From the tasting scores in a scale of 85 to 100, the wines with scores between 90 and 95 are pointed out as evidenced and the one between 96 and 100 are classified as classics.
From this final selection, we proudly discover six Portuguese wines of excellent quality, three of them in the first four places.
Regardless from the consumer and the price, through its consistent quality, Portugal has the opportunity to confirm its positioning and to build up its image at the international markets, not only for Port wine but also for more calm wines.
Proving that and in the first place in the list stands outs the best wine in the world with 99 points, Vintage Dow's 2011 from Symington family estates. This family is a reference being the greatest owner of the demarcated region of Douro with 26 farms with around 2,400 hectares.
With a 97 score and at the third place is red wine Chryseia 2011, a partnership between oenologist and owner of the Château Cos-d'Estournel Bruno Prats and the Symington company. This wine is a combination of two native varieties of grapes, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca from Quinta de Roriz e Quinta da Perdiz.
From other family-owned company, Quinta do Vale Meão 2011 conquered the fourth place of the list, being a blend of Portuguese grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca e Tinta Roriz. In 13th place, from Fonseca company, is Fonseca Vintage Port 2011, a powerful wine with 98 points, to be appreciated in the years 2040 and 2060.
The Douro Region wine who managed to be in the 27th place with 92 points, Quinta do Portal Colheita de 2011, an extravagant wine made with varieties Tinta Roriz, Touriga nacional and Touriga Franca.
Finally, with 90 points from Alentejo Region, Ramos Reserva 2012 conquered the 56th place in the list, a wine produces exclusively to foreign markets, but that will soon be launched in Portugal.
2011 was a year of excellent quality, the five Portuguese wines on that list are from that year, the best ever. Not only the weather was favourable but oenology and the wine making techniques who have been constantly evolving, helped to produce these sublime nectar.
All we have to do now is to value what is ours and congratulate the consistently good work so that our potential as a wine producing country can be fully acknowledged and show that the wine industry in Portugal is alive and kicking.