Portugal

Dao Capable of making very fine reds, the Dao region is emerging as one of Portugal's premium wine producing areas after something of a struggle. The region's situation, in a bowl and surrounded by mountains, protects the wine growing areas from the meteorological excesses of the Atlantic and the Iberian interior. Most famous amongst its wine making fraternity is Quinta dos Roques, where the effervescent ex Maths pedagogue, Luis Lorenco, is making award winning reds and whites.

Douro The source of some excellent table wines, often from winemakers renowned for their port making skills, the Douro region extends from very close to the Spanish border down to the area west of Pinhao. Although awarded DOC status as recently 1979, table wine production in the area goes back a couple of centuries, but the wines were certainly not historic in any sense - often coarse and unattractive, made from the crumbs of the proverbial port grape table. But things have changed a lot and the best combine intensity, depth and power with elegance and subtlety.