The only slight problem is that the Portuguese have developed such a vibrant wine culture that wine guides have proliferated and demand for the most garlanded wines has soared, along with their prices.

Quintas was particularly delighted to be able to see me re-taste and enjoy Santar's red 1997 Dão made from the Alfrocheiro Preto grape about which I had written "this is just the sort of wine that sells so well in British supermarkets", remarking on its "ultra-fruity, hyper-modern nose". I would not have thought it would still have such a haunting fragrance at 10 years old, and Quintas was quite right to point out that Santar's work in reviving this once-obscure Dão grape was fully vindicated by this bottle.

Several vintages of Quinta dos Roques' white Dão certainly vindicated my initial enthusiasm for another local grape, Encruzado, which can make serious, dry, full bodied whites with every bit as much gravitas as fine white burgundy. The same property's varietal Touriga Nacional seemed just as good in 1996 as the 2005, and overall Quinta dos Roques' 1996s seemed to have lasted just a bit better than those from the other great Dão producer Quinta da Pellada.

Tasting several dozen wines from Bairrada showed that Luis Pato, who has left the official Bairrada appellation, still makes many of the best wines of the region. His reds have real nobility and great ageing potential but are not too austere in youth. Even his white Vinha Formal 1998 made from the local Bical grape (not tasted in 1999) was extremely impressive. The Bairradas of Sidónia de Sousa are highly regarded in Portugal but can seem hard on non-Portuguese palates although their 1990 Reserva and 1997 Garrafeira were pretty impressive.

Douro reds, made in the mould of Barca Velha, are now some of Portugal's most highly regarded. The 2004s are looking particularly exciting.

In the box (left) are some of my favourite current Portuguese wines, tasted variously in London and Düsseldorf. But on the basis of my Düsseldorf experience, I would expect them to be worth keeping longer than many of their counterparts made outside Portugal.