Porto, Portugal, June 4, 2025 (Lusa) - The 4th edition of the Vinhos Verdes Essência Festival kicks off on Friday in the gardens of the Soares dos Reis National Museum in Portugal's second city, Porto, and is a “sure bet”, said the president of the Viticulture Commission of the Vinho Verde Region, on Wednesday.
“The Vinhos Verdes Essência Festival is a sure bet and, in its third edition, we confirmed that the market is looking for this type of event, especially in a tourist destination like Porto, where a wine festival in the gardens of the city’s main museum is a safe bet for visitors,” said the president of the Viticulture Commission of the Vinho Verde Region (CVRVV), Dora Simões.
In an interview with the Lusa news agency during this edition of the Essência Festival, an event that runs from Friday–Sunday in the gardens of the Soares dos Reis National Museum, Dora Simões explained that both national and foreign wine lovers value a “programme dedicated to Vinho Verde” combined with national cuisine.
When asked by Lusa about the fact that wine consumption is falling worldwide and competition is increasing, Dora Simões considered that, although the wine business is going through a “demanding” phase worldwide and it is necessary to invest in research to combat the challenges of climate change, Vinho Verde wines benefit from their “low alcohol” profile and “versatility”.
"It is necessary to invest in research and development to face the growing challenges of climate change and to invest in the variety of styles of wines from indigenous grape varieties,” she said, acknowledging that “distribution channels must be diversified”.
Dora Simões also highlighted the importance of connecting the territory and “developing wine tourism businesses”.
Nuno Pires, responsible for organising the event, explained to Lusa that the Essência Festival food and wine event has as its motto “The ultimate gastronomic experience”.
The event will bring together “12 chefs and around 40 wine producers,” offering various experiences, with a focus on “exclusive banquets” that combine Michelin-starred signature cuisine with traditional Portuguese cuisine, added Nuno Pires.
The three exclusive banquets that will take place over the three days of the festival are “one of the most important experiences of the event,” noted Nuno Pires, adding that this year it was decided to bring together Michelin-starred chefs with cooks from more traditional restaurants to build “a bridge between signature cuisine and more traditional restaurants.”
The Essência Festival will also feature cooking classes for children, guided tastings, ‘wine games’ (games based on Vinho Verde), ‘showcookings’ (cooking demonstrations), ‘masterclasses’, unusual food and wine pairings and live music.
Regarding the next Vinho Verde season, Dora Simões considered that it is still too early to make predictions, but said that, given the progress of the restructuring of the region’s vineyards combined with good viticultural practices, the next season is expected to be “of excellent quality, just like last year”.
According to information available on the event’s website, the Vinho Verde Region has 17,000 hectares of vineyards, which are “divided into nine sub-regions”.
CCM/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
