Spain/Portugal/Madeira Print E-mail

Spain is the second largest producer of wine in the world, the largest being France and the third Italy. The best known Spanish wine is considered by some to be Sherry, which is produced in the region surrounding Jerez de la Frontera. Ohter wine regions well known outside of Spain include: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorato, Cava and Pened?s.

Portuguese wine is part of the ancient traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans.
It started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after a treaty in 1703.
Portugal has the oldest appellation system in the world, the Douro Valley. This region and Vinho Verde region, in the Northwest produces some of the world's finest, unique and highest value-added wines. Alentejo and D?o regions produces fruitful flavour wines, suitable for a casual wine drinker.
Portugal has two wine producing regions protected by UNESCO as World Heritage: the Douro Valley Wine Region (Douro Vinhateiro) and Pico Island Wine Region (Ilha do Pico Vinhateira).

Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira.