Birds of prey and the Portuguese wine culture.

What I like most about Portugal is its geographical location and nature, not so much its language or even its people. To state this on my blog appears to be a negative start of sales prose for wine but on the other hand the Portuguese lie foremost their own wines, and as a reasonable large producer a lot of these wines, apart from Porto, are not crossing the Iberian borders and are destined for domestic consumption.

Also the Portuguese tongue goes for domestic grapes and vines, some of them rarely drunk outside this beautiful country. In Portugal I found the connection between nature and wine culture most intertwined in Europe. Every time I strayed into wine producing areas I saw beautiful birds of prey, what… pesticides!!??

Back in 2002 I saw my first European Golden Eagle (in real life as opposed to jailed zoo birds) when I was visiting a fungus ridden red wine producing vineyard in the Ribatejo region around Lisbon.

Now I am reading that the Griffon vultures are back in good numbers in these ocean maritime blue sky, in this country however rocky and dusty you are always feeling close to the deep blue Atlantic ocean. These vultures with their white heads and tawny wings are magnificent but also rare and threatened raptors like the Golden and Bonelli’s eagle.

Protecting the birds remains a top goal but conservation efforts in Portugal has grown into something bigger and has the potential to bring even more people and jobs to these poor regions badly in need of bot. Many are young educated people from Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, or Porto, the second largest city, who are attracted to the country side or want to get away from the urban rat race.

While the hilly, near desert terrain maybe hell for the farmers, it is an unspoiled heaven for those who appreciate it. Along with spectacular birds of prey, there is a wealth of prehistoric rock carvings and medieval castles. I could mention as an example here the area where the Côa River runs into the Douro River, whose valley is a wine lover’s destination.

Here is an area where conservation can be motor for local economic development and where the European Union (EU) makes money available to invest in projects like hotels that may create jobs.

What are called “nature entrepreneurs” are attracted to these regions people who might start organic farms, vineyards, and other enterprises dedicated to serving visitors to the region.

The development I sense here is the watching of nature, (organic) wine producing, fitness, domestic kitchen are all components of new rising from of leisure pastime, a better form than old fashioned holidaying experiences on the Mediterranean beaches.

Because of our Portuguese week we are offering a 2000 Croft Vintage Port with free shipping for 40 dollars. The offer stands all week. Get yours now at VintoVino

Cheers,

Koen