MATEUS

Since its return to our shelves in sleek new livery, customers have been waxing lyrical about the last time they drank Mateus Rosé. Its origins date back to 1942, when Fernando Guedes set out to put Portugal on the vinous map from his small family winery, Sogrape Vinhos, which rose by the end of the eighties to become the largest wine producer in Portugal.

The centrepiece of his agenda was the ubiquitous Mateus, the first wine to attain true global notoriety, and today boasting a presence in more than 125 countries. Salvador Guedes, grandson of Fernando, explains: ‘Our challenge is to sustain the Mateus as we pass it from generation to generation, and that’s why every so often we make subtle changes to the bottle.’ Regardless of outer appearances, the unique essence of this iconic wine remains unchanged.