Port Personalities
The FTLOP series, Port Personalities In Focus concentrates on highlighting members of the Port and Madeira wine trade, bringing you their personal perspectives to help gain a better understanding of the people inside the trade. We look for individuals you may see in the limelight, and those who work more behind the scenes, including individuals from sales, marketing, master blenders, winemakers, vineyard managers, distributors, importers, owners and managing directors. These articles will introduce you to Port personalities who work at both small family-owned operations and some of the largest wine companies in Portugal.
Marta Lourenço
Port Personalities In Focus is proud to introduce you to Marta Lourenço. This FTLOP Series has become vital in our mission to introduce readers to members of the Port, and Portuguese wine trade. In Focus brings you candid comments, personal perspectives, and a better understanding of the people inside the Portuguese wine trade: from sales and marketing professionals, master blenders, winemakers vineyard managers, distributors and importers, owners, and managing directors. We hope you’ll benefit from meeting the people on these pages. 1. Please share some information about your life and how you wound up working in the Port and [...]
Ana Almeida
FTLOP is proud to introduce you to Ana Almeida. Here is Ana’s story: 1. Please share some information about your life and how you wound up working in the Port and Douro wine trade and at what age? I grew up in the smallest AOC in Portugal, Carcavelos, in Lisbon’s suburbs where fortified wine has been produced for centuries; it used to be very popular in the UK during the 19th century. I studied viticulture and winemaking in Portugal (UTAD in the Douro) and France (Bordeaux and Angers-Loire Valley) and later worked as a cellarhand/assistant winemaker in Chile (Viña [...]
António Agrellos: Maker of Treasures
In Japan, the art of sword making is revered as a sacred art. So much so that the best swords ever made are considered national treasures and cannot leave national territory. One could argue that Port wine should be treated equally. However, depriving the rest of the world from its liquid splendor would be utterly selfish. And so it is that some fortunate few are able to taste wonders worthy of the ancient gods. This strange introduction has a purpose. In Japan, the reverence is not only directed at the creations but also at their creators. The best swordsmiths [...]
João Nicolau de Almeida, the Man Who Reshaped the Douro
“You look typical Alencar! Fit for the drawing and for the statue!” Translated from “Os Maias”, by Eça de Queirós It was a cold and rainy morning, one of those that lend itself to introspection and to putting life into perspective. His smile, though, was warm and welcoming. And could it be any different? For outside the window, there it stood, in all its awe, the mighty Douro River and the riverside Porto, in its granite poise. That, I dare say, is “a room with a view”, a novel in itself. But this man was not made inside this study, [...]
Bento Amaral
FTLOP is proud to introduce to our readers Bento Amaral, who is the Director of Technical Services and Certification for the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (IVDP).
Carla Tiago
Meet Carla Tiago, who is the talented winemaker at Quinta S. Luiz, since 2007. This beautiful property is where the Port and Douro wines of Kopke are grown and vinified along with some others in the Sogevinus portfolio.
Tomás Roquette
Meet Tomás Roquette, who carries on the more than 100 year tradition of winemaking at his family's Quinta do Crasto.
Xito Olazabal
Meet Xito Olazabal, wine and Port maker at his family's Quinta do Vale Meão and his cousin's Quinta do Vallado.
Miguel Braga – Quinta do Mourão
Miguel Braga's 30 and 40 Year Old Tawny Ports from Quinta do Mourão are among the best, and his Douro DOC wines are also superb. Learn more about Miguel in this month's Port Personalities In Focus.
Beatriz Machado
Meet Beatriz Machado, who was entrusted with the job of selecting the wines and managing the 25,000 bottle cellar at The Yeatman Hotel, with the most comprehensive collection of Portuguese wines and of course Port Wines.
Manuel Lobo
Meet Manuel Lobo, winemaker for Quinta do Crasto.
Joana Pinhão
Roy's profile of Joana Pinhão, of the Quinta Vale D. Maria winemaking team.
Joana Pais
This month, Roy introduces readers to Joana Pais, Manager of Press Relations for Sogrape Vinhos, S.A., owners of such well known Port brands as Ferreira, Sandeman and Offley as well as Douro DOC Casa Ferreirinha, and more.
Jorge Moreira
FTLOP introduces Douro winemaker Jorge Moreira, of Real Companhia Velha, Poeira and Quinta de la Rosa.
Sandra Marques of Sogevinus
FTLOP profiles one of the most dynamic women in the Port business, Sandra Marques, who is the North America Export Manager for Sogevinus Fine Wines.
Ligia Marques from Sandeman
This month's Port Personality in Focus is Ligia Marques, Brand Ambassador for Sogrape Vinhos.
Luis Seabra of Niepoort
This month's Personalities in Port focuses for the first time on a Douro DOC wine maker, Luis Seabra of Niepoort Vinhos.
Pedro Mansilha Branco from Quinta do Portal
Meet Pedro Mansilha Branco of Quinta do Portal, an extraordinary wine, Port wine, hotel and tourism project in the Douro.