The American magazine 'Wine & Spirits' today published its Top 100 best wineries in the world shortlist for 2014 and on that list are four Portuguese wineries.
The household name Hedade do Esporão, Quinta do Noval, Quinta Álvaro Castro from the Dão region, and Quinta da Romaneira, one of the oldest cellars from the Douro region all feature in this widely referred to list in the US market and beyond.
The winners of the 11th edition of the "Top 100 Wineries of the Year" awards will be chosen and officially announced to the world in October in San Francisco, USA.
Quinta da Romaneira
Romaneira is one of the great historic Quintas of the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal, on a spectacularly beautiful south facing site overlooking the Douro river, its rocky soil lending its particular character to its wines.
A new chapter has been added to Romaneira’s long and illustrious story with the emergence of the business as a key player in the “Douro Revolution” - the discovery that Portugal’s local grape varieties can be used to make not only excellent Port wines, but increasingly for outstanding unfortified wines that are finding their place among the great wines of the world, while still being an expression of the unique terroir.
Herdade do Esporão
Considered to be some of the most respected wines from the Alentejo and Portugal, Herdade do Esporão has helped create and revolutionise the region via a number of elements that include labels that change every year created by fine artists, promoting Alentejo wine and Portuguese culture at the same time.
When the Esporão project began in 1973, the Alentejo was a relatively unknown region that few people associated with wine. Today, Herdade do Esporão wines are some of Portugal’s finest, recognised not only in the exclusivity of Torre do Esporão, but also in the quality of Esporão Reserva and Private Selection red and white, the personality of Monte Velho and Vinha da Defesa and the versatility and consistency of Alandra.
Quinta do Noval
Its greatest wine, the Quinta do Noval Vintage Nacional Port, comes from a small parcel at the heart of the vineyard. All activity is based at the Quinta in the Douro Valley. Quinta do Noval is the only historic Port wine shipper to bear the name of its Quinta. The identity of Quinta do Noval is rooted in its terroir.
The consistency of style of the Vintage Ports of Quinta do Noval through the decades is one of the particularities of Quinta do Noval in the world of Port. Consistency quite simply because its Vintage Ports come from one single vineyard.
The full shortlist is:
Adelsheim
Alloro
à Maurice Cellars
Andrew Will
Marchesi Antinori
Estate Argyros
Bernard Baudry
Bergström
Bethel Heights
Big Table Farm
Bisol Desiderio & Figli
Buil & Giné
Cadence
Catena Zapata
Chapter 24 Vineyards
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Elvio Cogno
Badia a Coltibuono
Concha y Toro
Cune
DAC Alvaro Castro
d’Arenberg
Deovlet
Diamond Creek
Domaine Drouhin
Dominus
Dönnhoff
Pascal Doquet
Dutton-Goldfield
Errázuriz
Herdade do Esporão
Flowers
Thomas Fogarty
Frog’s Leap
Gai'a
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Giant Steps
Schloss Gobelsburg
Gramercy Cellars
E. Guigal
Marc Hébrart
Hirsch Vineyards
J. Hofstätter
Iron Horse
Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Louis Jadot
Jamsheed
King Estate
Baron Knyphausen
Kracher
Krug
Kumeu River
L’Ecole No 41
Domaine Laporte
Leeuwin Estate
Lioco
Dr. Loosen
Pierre Luneau-Papin
Le Macchiole
Martin Ray
Matarromera
Matetic Vineyards
Domaine Christian Moreau
Domaine Marc Morey
Moric
Emilio Moro
Mount Eden
Quinta da Muradella
Quinta do Noval
Peay
Pecchenino
Domaine du Pélican
Penfolds
Famille Perrin
Qupé
Le Ragnaie
Ravenswood
Ravines
Cave de Ribeauvillé
Ridge
Patrice Rion
Maison Roche de Bellene
Louis Roederer
Quinta da Romaneira
Royal Tokaji
Dom Ruinart
Tenuta San Guido
Shafer
Smith-Madrone
Spiegelberg
Stags’ Leap Winery
Storybook Mountain
Taylor Fladgate
Vivanco
von Strasser
Domaine de la Vougeraie
Dr. Wehrheim
Hermann J. Wiemer
Williams Selyem
Zarate