The Wines and Vineyards of Portugal (Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides) [Paperback]

The Wines and Vineyards of Portugal by Richard Mayson has won the coveted Best Drink Book of the Year 2003 Award by the André Simon Memorial Fund. The awards were announced at a prestigious reception, on Tuesday 9th March to an audience of eminent food and drink authors, wine trade, members of the press, and publishers. Jancis Robinson who presented the award to Richard Mayson explained "So much is happening in the Wines and Vineyards of Portugal that we need a reliable guide to keep up and Richard Mayson has carved out a niche for himself as that person. This book is very competently done."

The Wines & Vineyards of Portugal is the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference about the Portuguese wine scene. Richard Mayson’s in-depth book illustrates the complexity of Portuguese wine, including Port and Madeira by exploring the native grape varieties and surveying the principal wine regions and the hundreds of small, quality-conscious producers. The book covers the history of the wines, the geography, climate, grape varieties, cork and vintages and also considers the principal wine regions including the Atlantic, the mountains, the plains and the islands. Released in March 2003, the book was one of the first releases in the newly founded wine book series: the Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library. The book received a profusion of critical acclaim from the wine and food press worldwide.

The André Simon Awards are among the most prestigious in the publishing industry; past recipients include many of the most famous names in wine and food publishing including Jancis Robinson, Anthony Hanson, Stephen Brook, Hugh Johnson, Michael Schuster and Oz Clarke. The main criteria against which the books are judged are originality, educational importance, high quality of the book’s production value and accessibility. The Wines & Vineyards of Portugal was judged over hundreds of books to have best incorporated all these principles.

Richard Mayson said 'I am really thrilled to receive this award. So much has happened in Portuguese vineyards over recent years and I hope that this book conveys my passion and enthusiasm for the country's wines'.