American wine publication Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has included three Portuguese wines in its ‘Top 100 Wine Discoveries 2020’.
The national wines featured include Filipa Pato Nossa Missão Tinto 2016, a red wine produced by Filipa Pato and William Wouters in Anadia, Aveiro; Márcio Lopes Proibido Grande Reserva Tinto 2017, a Douro red made by Márcio Lopes; and Porto Kopke Colheita Branco 1940, created by the oldest Port wine company.
“Each year, our team of wine critics review approximately 30,000 wines from around the world. This year, for the first time, we’ve asked them to spotlight their most notable discoveries from among the wines they’ve reviewed in the previous 12 months,” the publication says.
Thus, the list highlights wines that may not be the highest scoring but that “come from outside the mainstream or are new to reviewers and meet one or more of the following criteria: wines that represent value, are age-worthy, are grown and made in a sustainable manner, and represent innovative approaches, whether in the vineyards, winery or otherwise”.
Adds the publication, the list “emphasises the stories behind the wines, something that consumers are increasingly motivated by.”
However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one of the Portuguese wines included on the list.
Only 2,500 bottles of the Márcio Lopes Proibido Grande Reserva Tinto 2017 were produced, and the winemaker has already sold them all. However, it may still be found in certain liquor stores.
