The nine producers from across Portugal came at the invitation of the India International Food and Wine Show (IFOWS) CEO Rajiv Malhotra to survey the Indian market. “It will be tough. But we have always looked at the Indian market as having huge potential and hope they will like our range of red wines,” says Jaime Quendera, representing the A9 consortium which comprises 27 wineries and over 15,000 wine producers from Portugal.

The uniqueness of Portuguese wine can be gauged from the fact that 99 per cent of the wine grapes like Touriga Nacional, Alvarenho, Arinto and Casteolo are indigenous and the wines are very user friendly. “For someone who is getting initiated into wines, our range of whites are easy on the palate and can pair well with Indian vegetarian starters,” claims a representative of Vercoope, referring to the Via Latina 2007, bottled in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal.