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Masterclass and tasting bring Lisbon to London

11 November 2024 By Michael Huband

Wines of Lisbon’s tasting on 25 November will showcase the heterogeneous, Atlantic-influenced region to the UK trade.

London will receive a taste of the Atlantic this month, as Wines of Lisbon (Vinhos de Lisboa) brings a selection of its wines and producers to the UK capital. On 25 November, London’s Lisboeta will host a masterclass on the region, as well as a walkaraound tasting featuring some of Lisbon’s best regarded wines.

Patrick Schmitt MW will lead the masterclass, exploring the diversity to be found within the region. Already a tourist hotspot, Lisbon has the advantages to capitalise on its brand through its high-quality wines. Schmitt will make the case that its producers have a compelling position in the UK market.

The walkaround tasting, meanwhile, will allow the UK trade to explore the region’s best producers in greater detail. The list includes some of the region’s most esteemed producers: AdegaMãe, Aveleda, Casa Santos Lima, Hugo Mendes, Lindeborg Wines, Parras Wines, Quinta de S. Sebastião – Multiwines and Quinta do Montalto.

The day-long event will take place at Lisboeta in London’s Fitzrovia. The restaurant itself gives some indication of Lisbon’s brand as a destination for food and wine. As the brainchild of star chef Nuno Mendes (of Chiltern Firehouse fame), it is described as ‘a love letter to Lisbon’.

Waiting to be discovered

Although the tasting presents Wines of Lisbon, one of the key characteristics of the region is its diversity. In microclimate, grape variety and price, it offers a wealth of options.

The region does, in fact, include nine sub-regions across its 10,000 hectares of vineyards. With the cool Atlantic influence to the west and the warmth of the Iberian interior to the east, the vineyards benefit from varied climatic influences. Combined with hills and mountains, which offer shelter, varied aspects and altitude, the climatic influences make Lisbon one of the most heterogeneous wine regions in Portugal.

There is also a wide range of grape varieties. Local grapes are prominent, especially Arinto for white wines and Touriga Nacional and Aragonez for white wines. There are also appreciable plantings of white grapes Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova and Vital, and red grapes Alicante Bouschet, Castelão, Tinta Miúda, Touriga Franca and Trincadeira. Libon also grows international varieties, notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay.

With wines at a variety of price points, and a range to excite quality-minded, inquisitive consumer, Wines of Lisbon is set to present a compelling argument for the region and its producers. Members of the wine trade can register their attendance on this page.

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