Why You Should Be Drinking Portuguese Wines Now

On the podcast today, the Symington family has a history in Portugal as rich as their Ports. We are excited to have DOC Douro Category Manager Mariana Brito and fifth generation family member Harry Symington joining us on the pod from Portugal to share Symington’s story.

Port is a wine we think of as the perfect end to a great meal, a relaxing wine to sip and toast on an evening shared with family and friends. Port invites us to slow down, sip, and savor.

The Symington family has lived by that mantra for generations. They are one of the best known names in Port, admired worldwide for their dedication to the wine and sustainable practices. Symington Family Estates owns the Port Houses of Dow’s, Graham’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s and Quinta do Vesuvio, and dry wine producers in Portugal’s Douro Valley, Vinho Verde and Alentejo wine regions.

The family is carefully upholding the best of Port's long history while also stewarding the wine into the future, producing dry white, rosé and red wines. While they trace their roots in the Port trade back to 1652, today the fifth generation of Symingtons is leading the way in the family business.

You might think of Port as your father's or grandfather's drink. But Port is being rediscovered thanks in part to travelers choosing to go to Portugal and the historic Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the world's oldest demarcated wine region as their top destination.

For this episodes show notes visit https://sipsiphooraypodcast.com/

When you look at a restaurant's wine list, what do you see? Do you see equity, cultural and biodiversity, representation, affordability, fun?

Our guest today believes all of that should be front and center on a wine list. Miguel de Leon has made a career and a celebrated name for himself as a wine professional of color in New York City, where he is currently the wine director at Pinch Chinese in Manhattan.

When he's not running the wine program at Pinch, he's writing thought-provoking articles for the online magazine Punch that aren't afraid to throw a punch at the status quo of the wine world. He's brave and outspoken and just what the mostly white wine world needs today.

Today, we'll explore where the wine industry and wine culture stands now in terms of progress, or lack thereof, on diversity, accessibility, equality and inclusiveness.

Miguel has stirred up controversy with his writings for Punch, including "It's Time to Decolonize Wine," and "So Long to the Sommelier." Miguel has a point and is an important voice in what could be an inflection point in how we approach, talk and communicate about wine.

Is it time for wine speak to die? Are somms fading away? You don't want to miss our lively discussion with Miguel.

The number one thing people always ask us is, can you do wine country on a budget?

With the Napa Valley wine experience becoming more and more expensive, with wine tastings regularly costing upwards of $10, can you visit this incredible wine mecca without blowing a small fortune in the process?

We, the Marys, say yes! You can be bougie on a budget in Napa Valley. We've got the inside scoop on the wine tastings for $50 or less, hotels in the $200 or less range, and restaurants that won't break the bank. We even got some freebies!

Here's the list of all the places and experiences we mention. But you'll have to listen to the pod for all the great details and tips - you won't want to miss any of them!