Discovery

The snow-capped peaks and ski slopes in winter make way for sunshine and hiking in the summer across the steep mountain landscapes. This picture-postcard image recalls the most memorable moments spent in these unspoilt surroundings. Savoy’s vineyards are unique and can be likened to one big garden where the soils mirror the significant changes in geology, from the birth of the Alps to the emergence of part of the Jura mountain range.

Last February, over 150 Portuguese exhibitors took part in the fifth Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, underscoring just how significant Portugal has become in the international wine arena. Long focused on their domestic market, the country’s wine producers have garnered global acclaim and exports have risen accordingly. Frederico Falcão, chairman of Wines of Portugal, along with representatives from three Portuguese companies explain how this small wine revolution came about.

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.

E-commerce wine sales are posting strong growth worldwide but their development is perhaps most spectacular in Brazil. Traditionally, Brazilians show little enthusiasm when it comes to drinking wine, but in just a few years – since the pandemic – the country has become the world’s third largest online wine market, after the United States and China. This small revolution is partly due to the sector’s dynamic and innovative stakeholders, which include Víssimo. The company is one of the largest wine e-tailers in Latin America, through its Evino platform, and is also one of the biggest importers of international wine in the Brazilian market after buying major Brazilian importer and wine merchant Grand Cru in 2021.

Over the past few years, Cava has been dazzling consumers in the international marketplace, even managing to outshine Prosecco and Champagne. But this year, its producers have had to cope with extreme drought conditions causing an unprecedented decline in crop volumes which are threatening output and volume sales. This challenging situation has led the appellation’s bodegas to contemplate a range of strategies to help them overcome the shortfall, but also redefine their actions in the future.

From its base in Castiglione delle Stiviere, South of Lake Garda in northern Italy, Edoardo Freddi has grown into a multi-million-bottle operation in just a decade. We asked its founder, Edoardo Freddi, how he has achieved such head-turning success and where he sees the future for Italian wine.