"Simplesmente Vinho" (simply wine) is one of the most important natural wine fairs in Portugal and has established itself as a major platform for winemakers who produce authentic, minimally intervened wines. The event takes place annually in Porto and brings together small, independent producers showcasing their artisan-made wines.

In the picturesque Vinho Verde wine region in northern Portugal, a fresh wind of change is blowing. For a long time, this region was known primarily for its light, sparkling white wines. But today we are witnessing a true renaissance of wine culture here, which is captivating wine lovers worldwide.

On the way back, we had time and were on vacation, so we decided to visit Tiago Sampaio. Farmer, vineyard owner, winemaker, oenologist, restaurateur, and businessman - Tiago Sampaio, an authentic one-man show, is responsible for the creation of Folias de Baco, Ohlo no Pé, and Uívo with all their aromas and delights. In the Alto Douro, as a child, on his grandfather's back, Tiago Sampaio had his first contact with agriculture and the wine world. In this environment, he learned a craft playfully, which was born out of pure curiosity and is present in his current field of work and research. To build a future in these areas, he took the academic path, which allowed him to develop a career as a winemaker and oenologist. He began at the Conde de S. Bento Agricultural School in Santo Tirso and later completed a five-year university degree in Vila Real. The agricultural engineering course he completed in Trás-os-Montes gave him the pass for an internship in Oregon, USA, under the guidance of Maria Carmo Vasconcelos, who is one of the world's best authorities on Pinot Noir. There, Tiago spent the next five years earning his doctorate in viticulture and oenology at Oregon State University. In Oregon, Tiago internalized modern philosophies and aesthetics of winemaking, without forgetting his roots in the Douro. Since returning to his home vineyard, he has created his project, which has since attracted a lot of attention. His vineyards are located mainly in the Alto Douro, in the Cima-Corgo subregion, where the land is harsh, tough, and challenging. His vines cling to the slate and granite slopes at an altitude between 500 and 700m above sea level. Tiago essentially combines the traditions of his homeland with learned modern techniques. The field blends of red, white, and mixed native varieties planted about 80 years ago allow Tiago to create complex wines. He has set his goals higher and pushes the boundaries of his curiosity. The result is what some do not expect from such a traditional region. He is also one of the pioneers in Pet-Nat in Portugal.

Quevedo belongs to a new generation of small family wineries in the Douro. For many years, these families grew grapes and made Port wine for merchants in Vila Nova de Gaia. But when Portugal joined the European Union in 1986, legislation changed so that both the winegrowers and the wineries in the Douro could export their wines directly to retailers. And as a result of this new legislation, the Quevedo family brand was born.

At Conceito, we reflect on time and distance. Time comes from afar, for the family began growing wine in the 1940s. Distance has become no less, for the upper Douro has always been far removed from everything. Modernity has compressed it all. Distances and times are solved with simple solutions. Roads, access, neighborhoods. We had the dream of bottling the combination of sun and soil and carrying this terroir to the whole world. Love for our land, love for our work. Suddenly our wines—the synthesis of our place and our dedication—went around the world and were poured into glasses on tables everywhere. We traveled with them and always looked forward to returning home. From every journey we brought back a new dream, a new goal. Sometimes a friendship, sometimes a wine, a project on another continent, a new learning experience that merged with that of our country. Distances are shorter today, and time is projected into the future. In every bottle we set aside, because we know that in a year, five or ten years, there will be even more. And then to wait those ten years and enjoy the waiting, savoring our conviction in all tranquility. Always with one foot in the Douro, always our heritage, our pride, and our responsibility. Portugal in the world, seeking new ways through the seas and taking our earth with us. In a whirlwind, time and distance blur, and all that remains is a feeling, a shiver, a concept, namely Conceito. Who tastes a Conceito wine feels its essence on the palate. Our love for nature, the respect for the characteristics of the climate and the soil, and the ambition to always give the best that our land can produce, are present. Behind the subtlety of the aromas lies the wisdom to bring together experimentation and tradition, to respect old vines, to trust in the longevity of the wines, and to find a refreshing profile that one not only wants to taste, but also drink. Our wines have a soul because they are authentic, but also because they carry the consequence of a wine project that connects us with the local community, in a partnership with shepherds and farmers, encouraging organic and natural production in the region. Over the years, our range has developed into a diverse palette of red and white wines, grape varieties from different origins, Port wines, and even a sparkling wine. What remains are our principles: precision, objectivity, elegance, respect for nature and its cycles. Light wines, but deep. Appetizing, but long-lasting. reserved, subtle, but generous and sophisticated. Purity, elegance, and authenticity is our motto. It is not an empty motto. It is a way of life, a design, a commitment to our land, our employees, our customers, and our friends. Purity means that our wine is based on the vine, on the grapes, to which we apply all our effort and knowledge. It means commitment to our land, to the future, to the legacy we build every day when we decide not to use chemicals and to believe in our terroir. Elegance is the definition of our location, the freshness that the altitude gives us, the enology that, with few interventions, creates the connection between the love of our vineyards and the enjoyment we want to find in the glass and on the table. This integration, balance, and suppleness, the refreshing note of our wines, the desire to drink one more glass and enjoy the refined delicacy of the aromas and flavors, are the compass that guides us in our work. Authenticity stands for our conviction that this extraordinary terroir can produce remarkable wines that go beyond geographical and bureaucratic barriers, business cards from our little corner of the Douro for the whole world. Rita is the face of Conceito. Rita is the soul of Conceito. Rita's entry into the family business run by her mother Carla Ferreira was the cornerstone of Conceito, the bridge that allowed her to connect history with ambition, to create new brands, just as Rita herself connects youth with wisdom, technical knowledge with intuition. Disappointed by mechanical engineering, Rita chose the path of the land and wine. After her training in enology in Vila Real and Bordeaux, she chose her career path thoughtfully and learned and worked side by side with some of the most influential winemakers in the world in some of the most fascinating terroirs in the world: Bordeaux, California, South Africa, New Zealand. Returning to the Douro brought Rita another growth. From enologist she became a leader, allowing her to build a coherent, ambitious, and dynamic team. Always making wines that reflect her personality. Or rather: the way her personality interprets the places. The result is unique wines: personal, passionate, fresh. Visions of transport from the raw earth to the table, to the food, to the social gathering. Rita is the chief enologist, cook, manager, commercial director, wine ideologue, agricultural director, strategist, export director, face, body, member of the company—Rita is the driving force of Conceito, with a can-do attitude, quick responsiveness, a sharp eye, and a sharp sense of humor. Terroir is a somewhat elusive term, but it contains indelible characteristics. For us, terroir begins to define itself in the altitude of our vineyards and our winery. Conceito has 86 hectares of vineyards. All are organically managed, without the use of pesticides or herbicides. The vineyards are located in the Teja Valley, one of the coldest microclimates in the Douro. 86 hectares, divided into 5 different quintas. The acquisition began in the 1940s, the restructuring and replanting are still ongoing.

Jaboulet & Perrin! Nicolas Jaboulet Nicolas Jaboulet, one of the most famous Northern Rhône wine producers, is releasing his first wine produced from a joint venture with the Perrin family of Château Beaucastel. This is Nicolas's first project since leaving the Paul Jaboulet Aîné family empire at the beginning of 2009, which owns the mythical, iconic Hermitage La Chapelle. He worked as sales manager in this family business for many years. Since 2006, Paul Jaboulet Aîné has belonged to the Frey family of Château La Lagune in Bordeaux, and Frederic Jaboulet (Director of France and Exports) is the only remaining original family member. Famille Perrin Château Beaucastel, owned by the Perrin family, is one of the leading estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They own vineyards throughout the Southern Rhône, including Vinsobres, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Cairanne, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The new joint venture will market its wines under the name Nicolas Jaboulet, Perrin Frères. Due to strict selection, only small quantities of each wine are produced - between 3,000 and 10,000 bottles per vintage. Marc Perrin, one of the four Perrin brothers involved in the project, says: "We have been interested in the Northern Rhône for a very long time, but wanted to keep it separate from our other winemaking activities. Now the opportunity we have been waiting for has finally arisen." The first four wines - all from the 2007 vintage - are Hermitage Rouge, Hermitage Blanc, Côte-Rôtie, and Saint-Joseph. They are now just hitting the market. Nicolas Jaboulet says: "We are starting with only four appellations, but in the future we will be looking at Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage." maître philippe Maître Philippe stocks almost exclusively the Saint-Joseph, because it pairs excellently with cheese and meat and is ready to drink immediately. The other three are great wines for aging, which we can, of course, also order for you. Ask in the shop about the prices. All wines are delivered in wooden crates of six. Saint-Joseph 2007 (100% Syrah) On the nose, it is powerful and rich with wild dark fruits such as blueberries and blackcurrants. Typical aromas of Syrah grown on granite soils: violets, graphite, and bacon. On the palate, it is full-bodied with soft tannins. The finish repeats the dark fruit. This powerful wine impresses with its beautiful elegance. Enjoy it now. The bottle (75 cl.) costs €19.90 Download Wine Spectator press review as a PDF Download Saint-Joseph 2007 information sheet as a PDF Download Crozes-Hermitage 2009 information sheet as a PDF Download Côte-Rôtie 2007 information sheet as a PDF

Hecht & Bannier was founded by Gregory Hecht & Francois Bannier in 2002. The foundation of this company is extensive knowledge of vineyards and wine cellars. Every year they visit hundreds of private wineries to select the best wines and reserve the freedom to select only the best from these producers each year. Once this is done, they meet for a tasting to create the perfect blend.  The growing regions are Minervois, Saint Chinian, Cotes du Roussillon Villages, Faugeres, Maury and Languedoc. In their work, Hecht & Bannier place great importance on preserving the typical Mediterranean strength, balance and freshness of the wines. THE IDEA "We are convinced that Languedoc-Roussillon, the most talented vineyard in France, has not yet received the international recognition it deserves." say Hecht & Bannier. "Our wines allow wine lovers to discover the exceptional quality and richness of our region. Often our wines come from cooler mountain foothills, where 100-year-old vineyards are not uncommon. To preserve the typical Mediterranean strength in our wines, we also preserve their balance and freshness. This is our mantra for all the growing regions from which we produce." SELECTION "We select the interesting wines for our blends from tastings in every growing region during the harvest and throughout the year. We select our wines from wine cooperatives, young winemakers and renowned wineries. We only buy completely fermented wines and bring them to our estate. We are not bound by any contract to the wineries. Freedom is very important for the wineries and for us, because we take the freedom every year to select only the best wines from these producers." say Hecht & Bannier. BLEND The blend is created from selected samples (15 to 30 from each growing region). Each blend is based on 5 to 10 different wines. Hecht & Bannier: "With each blend, we want to show how well the individual wines complement each other. We want to remain true to our concept from one vintage to another and highlight the particularly successful grapes from each region every year." AGING Aging is particularly important for Hecht & Bannier, who consider it the core of their work. Therefore, they select the wines as early as possible to subsequently bring them into their cellars. For the aging of the wines, they prefer large wooden barrels, especially Demi Muids for a gentler micro-oxygenation. Demi Muids are special barrels, specifically for wines from Southern France. They hold 600 liters, which is 3 times as much as a “Bordeaux” or “Burgundy” barrel. Proportionally, less wine is in contact with the wood and the thickness of the barrel stave, 45 mm vs. 27 mm, allows the development of an ideal structure in the wines. However, 30% of the wines are also aged in tanks to bring fruitiness and freshness to the blend.

Château Miraval is hidden away in its own valley in the old village of Correns - by the way, France's oldest organic village - and encompasses 500 hectares. The magnificent castle lies in a valley basin surrounded by ancient forests, olive groves, vineyards and an abundant water supply. The unspoiled wildlife combined with the beautiful Provençal climate and the quality of the Mediterranean lifestyle make it an enchanting oasis. Miraval's exclusive location embodies an exceptional terroir. Terroir is the expression of the soil, the climate and the history of the land - the essence of the wine. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 350 meters and enjoy warm, sunny days and cool nights. It brings freshness and balance to the wines. Today, Château Miraval is owned by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and the cultivation, production, quality control and distribution of the wines are carried out by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel. The release of Miraval red and white is planned for September 2013, and in the following year, 2014, there will be a Grand Vin in both white and red. The natural clay and limestone soil composition allows for important water retention while at the same time allowing excess water to drain away. This is very important for healthy grape ripening. Miraval is located at the foot of the Via Aurelia - an extensive route built to facilitate Roman expansion in the 3rd century BC - symbolizing centuries of history. After Celtic settlement and Roman occupation, the estate served as a refuge for monastic practice and as home to members of the French court in the 14th century. In 1970, the famous jazz pianist and composer Jacques Loussier bought Château Miraval and turned it into the recording studio Le Studio de Miraval. A number of famous musicians came here, such as Pink Floyd, Sting, Sade, The Cranberries and the Gipsy Kings.

The southern Portuguese Algarve is a tourist magnet, but the region has so much more to offer. Find out why Algarve wines are of top quality, which Algarve wines are the best, and what history lies behind them.

Louis Lefebvre and Béatrice d'Anselme, Rhône winegrowers, are coming to visit and will pour a selection of their wines. Their son Marin, an aspiring winemaker himself and currently part of Maître Philippe & Filles, is actively helping out. In addition to the "Carpe Diem" and "Trilogie" red wines, which are already part of our range, various white and rosé wines will also be available for tasting. A tasting dedicated to wine and family traditions – it simply has to be good!

In September 2019, my wife and I were in Porto and visited a few winemaker friends. Because of the harvest, we were immediately put to work. First, we visited Márcio Lopes, our supplier of the Vinho Verde “Pequenos Rebentos”. In the Douro Valley, near Peso da Régua, Márcio has his second foothold and vinifies Douro wines under the “Proíbido” and “Permitido” brands.

The “Arribas Wine Company” project has its leased vineyards around Bemposta. The creators are two friends, Ricardo Alves and Fred Machado, who are advancing their project with a lot of energy, physical effort, passion, and expertise. We were warmly welcomed on a Sunday, and Ricardo drove us straight to the vineyards in his old off-road vehicle along a rough track. The vines are already very old, at 80 or even 100 years, and no longer yield much.