Page 2 - Code de Vino, #17/23, a/w 2018
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Code de Vino #17 Editorial Note 1
EDITORIAL NOTE
Dear friends,
In this issue of Code de Vino, we dive into the world of Portugal. For many people in Russia, Portugal is Terra Incognita,
an enigmatic territory with relatively little known about it. But no matter what associations we might have with the country,
it opens up like we would never expect once we get to know it. This place is unlike anywhere else in the world,
and is perhaps most valued because of its ability to keep its secrets, an indispensable asset in the 21st century.
Wherever we looked — from the charming Fado songs in port cafes, the poetry of Camões, the ancient cathedrals
or Templar castles, to the crashing Atlantic waves or the calm river surface of the Dão, Douro or Tejo... or just in a glass
of vintage Moscatel or red wine from Alentejo — we found that special beauty we might call the special Portuguese
space or dimension. Portugal pulses with its own rhythm in unison with the hearts of the country's main treasure:
its people. If we could only use one word to describe the Portuguese, it would probably be "heartfelt" or "genuine."
Portugal is a very conservative country. This might be how Portugal, with all its complicated history and relative
isolation from the rest of Europe, managed to maintain such a valuable national treasure: a unique winemaking tradition
based on ancient technologies and national varieties. Portugal is an absolute Western European leader in both.
No other European country offers such a range of unique national varieties, while its traditional winemaking methods
have been used not just for centuries, but millennia. Most importantly, these ancient traditions are a natural part of local life,
not just some dusty museum exhibit.
Throughout their long history, Portugal and Portuguese winemaking have experienced many ups and downs, but they
have always managed to demonstrate wisdom and gain from their experience and legacy of the past, and preserve
all the best by enriching it with cutting-edge intellectual and technological solutions. Therefore, we can now
confidently say that Portuguese wines are poised to capture the whole world's attention, especially for those looking
for "something more". Today, many people consider Portuguese wines some of the most fascinating, while the famous
English oenologist Jancis Robinson even believes they are second to none. Once you start your own experience
in the Portuguese dimension, it does not take long to realize this is hard to refute.