Wines of Portugal Challenge will begin next Monday (May, 13th) in Santarém. The challenge gathers more than 1000 wines in competition from several Portuguese wine regions showing the diversity and quality of Portuguese wines. The huge number of wines in competition over-reached the organization expectations (ViniPortugal). The challenge will take a week and includes several activities, like three Master Classes and two visits to wine regions that are less familiar to juries. The partnership established between ViniPortugal, ANDOVI, CNEMA, IVBAM, IVDP and IVV creates a modern format of Wines of Portugal challenge continuing an initiative that has always been an important tool to Portuguese wines promotion, not only in national market but also to international markets, creating an opportunity to show Portuguese wines to a wide range of international judges. The Grand Jury will be composed of 5 members, all with great experience and international reputation. Luís Lopes, from Portuguese Wine Magazine, will coordinate the Grand Jury and João Pires, Master Sommelier, will be the technical director of Wines of Portugal Challenge. The jury will be composed of 32 international members: five Germans, four Brazilians, four Britons, one Canadian, four Spanish, one French, one Japanese, five Americans and seven Swedish sommeliers. Jorge Monteiro, ViniPortugal CEO, affirms that “today Portuguese wines have a quality level that can be reviewed by international wine critics and opinion makers from strategic markets to Wines of Portugal. Invite them to join Wines of Portugal Challenge give them the unique opportunity to taste and review hundreds of wines and get overwhelmed by the difference and distinctiveness of our wines. Also they will take to their country great memories from Portugal and probably will share them with consumers in their homeland, and that’s an important goal to Wines of Portugal”. “We might be approaching an exceptional moment, because it’s the first time that Portuguese wines will be reviewed by such a diverse and international jury. This is the message we want to convey: Portugal is undoubtedly a country with excellent wines and there are many winemakers who work for this quality”, adds the ViniPortugal CEO. This year the Wines of Portugal Challenge has another attractive factor, besides the international jury. The winners will receive a passport to ViniPortugal events in the main international markets, therefore, wines will be present in city tastings and workshops promoted by ViniPortugal to an audience composed by opinion makers and trade. The Wines of Portugal Challenge parallel events are one of the innovations in this edition. With Wine Magazine collaboration, Viniportugal is creating a group of initiatives to show the diversity of Portuguese wines and regions. Hence, three Master Classes are being prepared about Alvarinho wine, Touriga Nacional grape variety and aged wines. Also, the jury will visit some wine regions less familiar to the wine world: Vidigueira in Alentejo and Encostas da Serra da Estrela in Dão. Grand Jury and Jury Members Grand Jury: Germany: David Schwarzwalder Brazil: Jorge Carrara Canada: Tom Firth U.S.: Mary Ewing Mulligan (Master of Wine) Jury: Germany: Axel Probst, Bernd Kreis, Chris Brissac, Stephanie Yvonne Döring and Heisterman Brazil: Christian Burgos, Didu Russo, Marcelo Copelo and Suzana Barelli Canada: Danielle Dupont Spain: Jose Ramon Garcia, Divine Light, Miguel Angel Martin and Peter Jorda Ballasteros Torres U.S.: Brenda Maitland, Joe Roberts, Michael Schaefer, Ryan Opaz and Tim McNally France: George dos Santos Japan: iroshi Ishida UK: Jo Ahearne MW, Natasha Hughes, Sarah Ahmed and Victor Amaro Sweden: 7 sommeliers