How many of you know what port wine is?
We are currently conducting a little survey about port and would love it if you could complete it for us. It will take one minute and there are just ten questions: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X9BBY6R, but it expires on Wednesday, so please spare us a minute of your time. Thank you! We shall publish the results when we have all the responses in to add a little more information to the internet and the world about port!
What is Port?
Port is a fortified sweet wine, which is produced in Portugal and the drink has a high alcohol content. It has been quite a popular alcoholic drink in Europe, similar to Spanish Cava, French Champagne and Italian Prosecco for example. In fact, the European Union is the world’s leading exporter and importer of wine, exporting on average 12.5 million hectare 
litres (worth about £3.6 billion) and importing an annual average of 9 million hectare litres. The main exporting members are actually Italy (35% of the total volume and 30% of the total value), France (30% of the volume and 30% of the value) and Spain (21% of volume and 10% of the value.) Although not being within the top three in terms of being a main exporting member, port wine, along with the aforementioned drinks has withheld foreign and domestic wars, as well as economic depressions, plus 19th Century diseases that destroyed many of the continent’s vineyards.
The Struggle For The Port Wine Industry
However, the struggle for port wine has not stopped there. After a decade of slow but steady decline, annual revenue for port in 2010 was at approximately £35 million lower than in 2000, sitting at just under £300 million. This equates to around twelve million fewer bottles according to the Association of Port Wine Companies, an industry group. So, 
even today, port wine producers in Portugal are facing challenges in sales because of shifts in consumer buying trends and financial crises in areas where port has normally sold very well (France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and the United States are in the top five importers of port with the United Kingdom at sixth place), which have reduced sales levels and created a shadow over the fortified wine’s future.
Let’s Get Port Sales Up This Christmas!
Although port wine growers and producers have already moved out of their comfort zones 
and stepped into new markets, which are further afield. Let’s help them in the UK by supporting and buying port this Christmas as gifts. Although port wine is traditionally associated with older generations, it doesn’t have to be. If you add a customised label onto the front of a bottle of ruby port, LBV port or Special Reserve port with a photograph and a message, it can be given for any occasion to any recipient over aged 18 years. Design your own port and give as Christmas gifts, or alternatively, you could use Personalised Christmas Port Labels with Christmassy designs to add your message onto. You could also give other Port Wine and Gifts including bottles of branded port and port wine gift sets for those with a favourite type of port, or for more luxury wine gifts and ideas. Personalised Port and Port wine gifts really do make fabulous Christmas gifts and are unusual, so let us help you and it would be great if you could help the port producers in the Douro valley in Portugal have a fantastic Christmas this year.
Written By Sabina Dungarwalla
Thanks to Decanter, Best Holidays in Algarve and The Huffington Post for their help in compiling this article.
