The Portuguese wines are heading to Canada to enhance the promotion in the 8th biggest importing country of Portuguese wines. At the end of 2015, Canada registered an excellent continual growth, with over 14% higher than last year. In this way, ViniPortugal organizes two Wines of Portugal Grand Tastings on June 20 and 22, in Calgary and Montreal. The Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting in Calgary - the third largest city in Canada located in the province of Alberta - will bring together 33 Portuguese winemakers. The program will start with a seminar focused on the diversity of Portuguese wines, led by Sofia Salvador, Viniportugal’s Wine Educator, and it’s targeted to 40 trade professionals. Next will be presented 10 wines in order to raise the knowledge about the Portuguese wines and enhance the audience about its distinctive character. After the seminar, will be held a wine tasting exclusively dedicated to the 150 trade professionals from the sector. On June 22 will be held the Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting in Montreal – the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec - which will be attended by 43 winemakers and comprise two seminars about the Wines of Portugal diversity. Both seminars will be presented by a pair of speakers such as the recognized Canadian Sommelier Veronique Rivest and the Viniportugal’s Wine Educator, Sofia Salvador. In each seminars will be presented 10 wines, targeted to 40 trade professionals and 40 Product Consultants from SAQ, respectively. The Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting in Montreal devotes a special moment to 250 trade professionals from the wine sector, followed by a period specially dedicated to the final consumers. In this way, are expected a total of 500 guests. Jorge Monteiro, ViniPortugal CEO, says "the promotion of Portuguese wines in the Canadian market aims to achieve a bigger territorial extension and foster the approximation into new regional markets, particularly in Calgary. Canada is one of the twelve priority markets for Wines of Portugal promotion. It’s a very important market because imports the majority of consumed wines. Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia (BC) are the largest consumers, and together represent more than 75% of Canada's wine consumption. Portuguese wines in 2015 achieved a 2.5% market share, placing Portugal on the 9th place in both volume and value. "