New Portuguese wine discoveries at Simplesmente Vinho 2021

Simon reports back from the 2021 edition of Simplesmente Vinho, Portugal's most exciting celebration of artisan growers, natural and organic Portuguese wines.

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Simplesmente Vinho was the last wine fair I attended, in February 2020, before life shut down and a new normal established itself. So it's fitting that it's the first wine fair I attended in 2021.

Some might say that organising a wine fair amidst the current circumstances is madness, and a small number of Simplemente’s regular winemakers were absent presumably on that basis. But João Roseira and his team worked hard to put together an event that met all the health and safety requirements. Notably, they switched to a new outdoor location in the idyllic gardens of FAUP (Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto, the architecture faculty of the University of Porto). Notwithstanding some light rain on Friday evening, the weather was just about perfect with balmy temperatures and a good amount of sun.

It felt very different to the more packed, chaotic atmosphere of previous years. The crowds were modest, but by the Saturday afternoon a nice b…