The international jury of the 13th edition of "ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO - PORTO" was unanimous in the category of red wines: Júlio B. Bastos Grande Reserva Alicante Bouschet 2012 (Júlio B. Bastos, Alentejo), received the 1st prize fro the second year in a row, and the wine Malhadinha Nova 2013 (Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Alentejo) was placed in the 4th position.

The Alentejo was also highlighted in the commented tasting on “Talha” wines, an ancestral tradition that in recent years has been recovered with brilliance in the largest wine region of the country.

The event took place last thursday morning in the Arab Hall of the Market Palace, in Oporto, hours before the opening of the event "ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO - PORTO". More than 30 jurors - among journalists, bloggers, sommeliers and wine educators - from 13 nationalities (Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Denmark, Spain, France, Holland, Hong Kong, Poland, UK, Romania, Switzerland and Portugal ) tasted a total of 53 wines, pre-selected by the specialized magazine WINE - A Essência do Vinho.

In a blind tasting, with no prior knowledge of the wines being tasted, most of the international guests invited to the new edition of "ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO - PORTO" evaluated them one last time. In total, 31 red wines, 13 fortified wines and 9 white wines.

This 14th edition was the most international of all. Very close to 30% of the visitors were foreigners. Around 70 importers and opinion leaders from 14 foreign markets participated in the election of "TOP 10 Portuguese Wines" and the debut of the "Portugal Wine Connection" initiative, designed for new wine business and increase the external visibility of the Portuguese wines represented at the event.