Magazine

We interviewed the chairman of Wines of Portugal, Frederico Falcáo, to gain a better understanding of the country's wine scene and the major milestones in its recent development.

Sitting high on its hillside, Sancerre keeps a watchful eye over the surrounding countryside with the quiet fortitude shared by the top appellations. This iconic wine region in the Centre-Loire region, renowned for its Sauvignon varietals, embodies a fascinating dichotomy – the simplicity of an internationally-renowned white wine appellation counterbalanced by an often underestimated tapestry of vineyard sites. In this feature report, we take a deep dive into Sancerre, exploring its quintessential traits, its modern-day challenges and the way in which this storied appellation continues to reinvent itself, fascinating both novices and connoisseurs alike.

In some ways, Sancerre is a condensed version of the French concept of terroir. Its landscape is distinctive with the village clustered around the top of a hillside crowned with flint pebbles that have survived erosion for several thousands of centuries.

Portugal is now very much up there in the big international league. The days when locals drank virtually all of the country’s wines, bar a few thousand hectolitres of Port – a popular tipple with the English and the French – are now long gone.

The South American wine industry is primarily represented worldwide by Argentina and Chile, which account for 80% of production. Uruguay and Brazil are also important contributors, even though Brazil exports very few of its wines.

Piedmont is a region that has made wine its pride and joy, establishing itself as a renowned producer of high quality wines thanks to its most prominent appellations. And yet, not everyone is aware of the full variety of appellations and grape varieties that are available to Piedmont growers and wineries, akin to the range of colours and tones that Mediterranean artists have at their fingertips.