4 March 2024

On Friday March 1, at a gala held at the Estoril Congress Centre, Grandes Escolhas magazine announced its awards for the best wines of the year, as well as rewarding various personalities, organizations, companies and institutions that, in the opinion of the magazine, distinguished themselves in the sector in 2023.

It's a kind of Oscars that rewards the best that's made in Portugal, and this year, at the ceremony in Estoril, it was announced that the red wine of the year is from the Douro, and Quinta do Crasto.

"Maria Teresa wine, a century-old vineyard, a great legacy that my great-grandfather Constantino de Almeida left us, and that we have made a great effort to keep alive and with the best possible quality." defends Tomás Roquette at the gala.

For the editors and wine critics of the specialized publication, directed by Luís Lopes, the five best of the year are Murganheira Assemblage Távora-Varosa Espumante Grande Reserva White 2006 (Best Sparkling Wine), Bacalhôa 1931 Vinhas Velhas Bairrada Clássico Bical White 2021 (Best White Wine), Quanta Terra Phenomena Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 (Best Rosé Wine) - a regional wine from the Douro - Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa Douro Red 2019 (Best Red Wine) and Dalva Porto Tawny 50 years (Best Fortified Wine).

The Grandes Escolhas Awards are defined as a celebration of what's best in wine and gastronomy in Portugal each year. Their aim is to recognize the excellence of work in the sector, annually rewarding the best wines, the best professionals, companies, producers, restaurants, wine cellars and institutions that have distinguished themselves the most, according to the magazine's editorial criteria.

These are the best of the best of the year for Grandes Escolhas, but the magazine also announced the Top 30 for 2023, according to the assessment of its editorial team.

During the ceremony, 2 Grandes Escolhas Trophies were also awarded in different categories related to wine and gastronomy. Highlights included the Revelation Producer award, which went ex-aequo to Domínio do Açor (Dão) and Herdade da Cardeira (Alentejo), the Winemaker of the Year, Francisco Antunes, from Bacalhôa, and the Lord of Wine 2023 award, which went to António Soares Franco.

João Geirinhas, editor of Grandes Escolhas magazine, said that "at the moment, social networks, the internet, and therefore digital communication, have greatly expanded our audience and this means that more and more people, even those who aren't readers of the magazine, end up being influenced by the choices made by the magazine's critics".

The magazine also announced the best wines by region, with a total of 270 wines. This is the seventh edition of the Grandes Escolhas Awards and it was broadcast live on streaming. The ceremony, which was attended by more than 830 guests, can be viewed afterwards on the publication's website.

THE BEST OF THE YEAR FOR GRANDES ESCOLHAS 

The Best Wines of the Year

Best Sparkling Wine: Murganheira Assemblage Távora-Varosa Sparkling Grande Reserva White 2006 - Soc. Agr. Com. Do Varosa

Best White Wine; Bacalhôa 1931 Vinhas Velhas Bairrada Clássico Bical White 2021 - Bacalhoa Vinhos de Portugal

Best Rosé Wine: Quanta Terra Phenomena Regional Duriense Pinot Rosé 2022 - Quanta Terra

Best Red Wine: Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa Douro Red 2019 - Quinta do Crasto

Best Fortified Wine: Dalva Porto Tawny 50 years – Granvinhos

TOP 30 of the Year

Anselmo Mendes Parcela Única Vinho Verde Monção e Melgaço Alvarinho Branco 2020 (Anselmo Mendes Vinhos)

Bacalhôa Setúbal Moscatel de Setúbal Superior 40anos (Bacalhôa)

Bacalhôa 1931 Vihas Velhas Bairrada Clássico Bical Branco 2021 (Bacalhôa)

Blandy’s Madeira Boal Colheita 2012 (Madeira Wine Company)

Casa Ferreirinha Douro Reserva Especial Tinto 2014 (Sogrape)

Corta Fogo Vinho Branco 2020 (Anselmo Mendes Vinhos)

Croft Quinta da Roêda Sérikos Porto Vintage 2017 (Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers)

Dalva Porto Tawny 50 anos (Granvinhos)

Dom Rozès Porto Tawny 50 anos (Rozès)

Dona Maria Alentejo Grande Resrva Tinto 2018 (Júlio Bastos)

Estremus Alentejo Tinto 2019 (J. Portugal Ramos)

Graham’s The Stone Terraces Porto Vintage 2021 (Symington Family Estates)

Maynard’s porto Colheita 1974 (Barão de Vilar Vinhos)

MOB Gauvé Dão Tinto 2016 (Moreira, Olazabal e Borges)

Murganheira Assemblage Távora-Varosa Espumante Grande Reserva Branco 2006 (Soc. Agr. Com. Do Varosa)

Pintas Porto Vintage 2021 (Wine & Soul)

Poeira Vinha da Torre Douro Tinto 2018 (Jorge Nobre Moreira)

Quinta das Bágeiras Pai Abel Bairrada Branco 2021 (Quinta das Bágeiras)

Quinta das Carvalhas Porto Tawny 50 anos (Real Companhia Velha)

Quinta da Ervamoira Douro Tinto 2019 (Ramos Pinto)

Quinta de SanJoanne Herança Vinho Verde Branco 2019 (Casa de Cello)

Quinta do Cardo Vinha do Lomedo Beira Interior Branco 2021 (Agrocardo)

Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa Douro Tinto 2019 (Quinta do Crasto)

Quinta do Noval Vinhas do Passadouro Douro Tinto 2020 (Quinta do Noval)

Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Tinto 2020 (F. Olazabal & Filhos)

Susana Esteban A Centenária Alentejo Tinto 2021 (Susana Esteban)

Teixuga Dão Tinto 2018 (Caminhos Cruzados)

Terrenus Clos dos Muros Reg. Alentejano Tinto 2017 (Rui Reguinga)

Tributo Reg. Tejo Tinto 2021 (Rui Reguinga)

Vinhas dos Aards Pico Branco 2020 (Azores Wine Company)