(MyNewOrleans) - If you decided to set out and create a new wine making nation, you would likely not follow the model of Portugal.

 By that, it is not to insinuate that the wines of Portugal are inferior in any way to the wines of any other nation on earth. They are indeed not. Nor do I mean to suggest that the wines do not pair well with that country's well-defined cuisine. Portugal's fine cuisine practically begs for the multiple styles of wine grown from one end of the country to the other in both the red and the white hues.

 The whole issue about the wines of Portugal has everything to do with this country's incredible history of exploration (do you remember hearing about Vasco da Gama in your sixth grade history class?) and the establishment of a proud nation, rooted in its own culture, language and customs.