Breaking New Ground

At Justerini & Brooks it is a privilege to be afforded the opportunity to taste at some of the world’s most prestigious estates. However, it’s worth remembering that many producers now widely regarded to be at the pinnacle of their respective regions were of humble origins, for whom success came later. We were championing the likes of René Rostaing, Elio Altare, Bruno Clair and Fritz Haag long before they were famous.

Following in that wine buying tradition, this week I put myself under the cosh and set about breaking new ground in Northern Portugal and Galicia. 1,400 kilometres in a hire car saw me hit the Dao, Bairrada, Douro, Bierzo, Valdeorras, Ribeira Sacra and Rias Baixas regions in pursuit of new emerging winemaking talent.