The Wine Tipster’s Neil Phillips offers his top Portuguese Wines

Portugal is on a roll, with exports of Portuguese wines to the UK having grown 99% in value and 22% in volume during the past year.

Last December the inaugural Wines of Portugal International Conference in Porto was a resounding success and offered and exciting seminar programme. The sub theme was Discover Touriga Nactional, with the Touriga Nactional Awards, judged by a panel including Jancis Robinson MW and Neil Martin, provoking plenty of positive debate.

My mission at the ViniPortugal tastingat Lord’s last month was to check out Touriga Nactional – blended or not – seek out the increasing number of high-quality Portuguese whites, find out the latest story from the Beira Interior, and, at the end of all that, come up with the Wine Tipster’s Top 10.

Whites:

Casa de Pacos Fernao Pires 2010, Minho

Niepoort Docil Vinho Verde 2010, Minho

Sogrape Planalto Reserva 2009, Douro

Herdade do Esporao Duas Quintas 2010, Alentejo

Reds:

Dourum Vinhos Tons de Duorum 2009, Douro

Quinta dos Currias 2009, Beira Interior

Quinta de Pancas 2009, Lisboa

Quinta do Centro, Sonho Lusitano Pedra Basta 2008, Alentejo

Quinta do Mondego Munda Touriga Nacional 2008, Dao

Quinta da Falorca Garrafeira Old Vines 2004, Dao