PORT WINE FEST 2024 CELEBRATED PORTUGUESE WINES, GASTRONOMY AND CULTURE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

The Portuguese wine festival took place in April and October and visited Vail, CO; Pebble Beach, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Chicago, IL; New York, NY 

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Port Wine Fest–a festival and celebration of Portuguese wines, gastronomy and culture organized by the Port Wine Shippers Association (AEVP)–has completed its first-ever U.S. tour, which took place in five major cities and introduced 18,500+ industry professionals and consumers to 65+ diverse and passionate winemakers who exemplify Portugal's rich heritage and diversity.

"We are thrilled with the success of our 2024 Portuguese wines tour in the US and eagerly anticipate an even more exceptional experience in 2025," said Isabel Marrana, executive director of AEVP. 

Port Wine Fest launched in Spring 2024, showcasing the exceptional offerings of 44 Portuguese wine producers across two premier U.S. festivals: Taste of Vail in Colorado (April 4th) and Pebble Beach in California (April 6th-7th). This immersive experience celebrated Portugal's winemaking heritage with an expansive array of Ports and other Portuguese wines. Chef Telmo Faria, from the renowned Uma Casa restaurant in San Francisco, elevated the culinary component, crafting an authentic menu. The dynamic pairing of red, wine, sparkling and port wine and Portuguese bites offered festival-goers a rich taste of Portugal's culinary and viticultural traditions.

Port Wine Fest expanded its reach across the U.S. in Fall 2024, making its mark in Las Vegas, Chicago and New York. The event debuted at USA Today's Wine & Food Experience in Las Vegas (October 12th), featuring over 170 selections of Portuguese wine. For the first time, proprietary events followed in Chicago and New York (October 14th and 16th), where 41 producers engaged with industry professionals and wine enthusiasts in each city. The culinary offerings were crafted to highlight Portuguese tradition and innovation, with bites from Cadinho Bakery and Café in Chicago, and innovative dishes by Chef Nuno Sousa and Leitão in New York.

Adding an educational layer, Regine Rousseau, author, sommelier, and CEO of Shall We Wine, led a Portuguese wine trivia experience in Chicago, while Advanced Sommelier Jienna Basaldu hosted an exclusive VIP lunch. These unique interactive elements allowed guests to deepen their appreciation for Portuguese wine culture in creative and engaging ways.

"When you're studying and tasting the wines of Portugal, there is so much to learn," says Regine Rousseau. "At Port Wine Fest, we're looking at the breadth of the wines of Portugal, beyond port wine, and the diversity of the region."

Funds from consumer events in Chicago and New York were donated to local charities with an impactful cause: 

• Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank: The Greater Chicago Food Depository believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository partners with a network of 800 organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions, and other partners – working to bring food and opportunity to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger through advocacy and other strategies that generate economic impact and access to living wages.
• City Harvest is New York's first and largest food rescue organization, collecting high-quality, nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste to help provide free food for millions of New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity. For more than 40 years, City Harvest has been there to feed NYC—one day, one meal, one New Yorker at a time.

Each Port Wine Fest tour culminated with induction ceremonies (San Francisco, April 8th and New York, October 18th) to welcome and celebrate new Confraria do Vinho do Porto (Port Wine Brotherhood) members. 

Stay connected with Port Wine Fest via the website and social media to see which cities it is headed to in 2025: portwinefest.com, @portwinefest (Instagram), @portwine_fest (X/Twitter), and Port Wine Fest (Facebook). 

About Port Wine Fest
Port Wine Fest is a festival of Portuguese wines, food and culture, launched in 2024 by the Port Wine Shipper Association (AEVP), that aims to introduce US consumers to the world of Portugal through a series of events across the country. This event is part of Project No. 67 "Vine & Wine" within the scope of Program 2022-C05i0101-02 - Mobilizing Agendas/Alliances for reindustrialization.

About the Port Wine Shippers Association (AEVP)
The Port Wine Shippers Association (AEVP) is a private non-profit organization, established in January 1975, with headquarters in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The main purpose of Port Wine Shippers Association (AEVP) is to represent and protect the interests of its members and the promotion and protection of the industry and trade of the Port and Douro wines and other wine products from the demarcated Douro region throughout national and foreign territories.

SOURCE Port Wine Shippers Association (AEVP)