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My New Year’s resolution for 2009: “I’m resolved to learn about Portugal’s history and it’s place within the wine world.”
In that resolve, I didn’t – in my wildest dreams – think that I’d be traveling to Portugal as part of the educational process, during the course of this year. I just knew that I wanted to explore a new and interesting place in the history of wine for me.
- So far, the universe has delivered a new client… Enoforum Wines, from the up-and-coming Alentejo region of Portugal.
- Now, my new client Delfim Costa, general manager of Enoforum, has invited me to Portugal, so that I may learn firsthand what I discovered in “The First Global Village, How Portugal Changed the World…” (This will be a much deeper understanding of Portugal’s history, its people, their wines, foods, and culture.)
About Enoforum Wines
Enoforum is a commercial company focused exclusively on international markets. Our head office is located in the pretty town of Évora – world heritage – in the heart of Alentejo Region. “ENOFORUM – Comércio e Exportação de Vinhos, S.A.” is a joint stock company established in July 2004. The six founders are the six cooperative wineries from the Alentejo Region, in the south of Portugal. These six wineries encompass 12.000 hectares (296,523 acres) of vineyards, with a yearly production of 60 million litres (100,000 cases) of wine. In September 2005, new shareholders joined this group: “PME Investimentos, S.A.” and “INVOCAPITAL, S.A.”
Enoforum’s offer is even more generous than I would have imagined, though.
It makes me feel like I’m on Survivor and just won the challenge. Do you know how after winning a challenge Jeff Probst always turns to the winner and says, “Congratulations for winning the challenge. And, now you get to take one person of your choosing with you.”
Really? Okay… Where to start?
I need to have a person as passionate about going to Lisbon and the Alentejo region of Portugal as I am. This person must be ready, willing, and able to leave his or her job for a week.
I’m a publicist, so I think in terms of how to do this in a public setting. I came up with an idea for a contest, which was then approved by Delfim…
Why I Want to Go To Portugal to Visit Enoforum Wines with Jo Diaz
In 200 words or less…
What’s Being Offered by Enoforum Wines
- All expense paid trip to Alentejo Wine Region of Portugal, with wine blogger Jo Diaz of Wine-blog.org
- The trip includes all reasonable expenses: accommodations, meals, air and ground transportation
- $1000 stipend for your writing
What’s Expected from You:
- Established U.S. wine blogger, with your own wine blog already established
- Must be blogging for at least two years
- U.S. Citizen, based in the United States, with a current passport (I’m in the process of getting mine, so if this is appealing to you, think about getting yours ASAP, if you don’t have one, yet. You never know when you will be able to use it in the future.)
- Must show proof of Passport, if chosen.
- Must be 25 years of age or older
- Must be free to travel to Portugal during the week of November 1, 2009 (Between Saturday, October 31, 2009, returning on Friday or Saturday, November 6 or 7, 2009.)
- Must be willing to write five blog entries during the course of the week, related to your daily experiences with Enoforum wines and the Alentejo wine region of Portugal. (I’ll have a laptop available, if you don’t have one to take with you.)
How to Apply:
- Submit to Jo Diaz, on the Portuguese Trip page
- Write 200 words or less, why you would like to be chosen to accompany Jo Diaz on a trip to the Alentejo Wine Region of Portugal, to learn about Enoforum Wines.
- I’ll be posting this blog each Monday, with updates, until the contest ends, but you can access this blog by just scrolling down my blog page, as I always have five blog entries at any given time… The contest will remain on my home page.
Important Dates:
- Deadline for submission of application: 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), Friday October 2, 2009
- Winner will be announced on Monday, October 5, 2009, 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Wine-blog.org
- Trip will be during the week of November 1, 2009. You will fly from your closest international airport, into Lisbon, Portugal,. Once there, Delfim Costa and Jo Diaz will meet you for the week’s adventure.
Wow, I would LOVE to go to Portugal with you!! What an amazing opportunity. I meet all your requirements….except the valid passport thing, it’s still in my maiden name! I hope you get a fantastic wine blogger to travel with!
Sonadora,
I’m in the process of getting my passport, as I write this. I hear it takes from four to six weeks, and we’ve now got seven weeks. If this is something that someone really wants, and could possibly travel abroad within the next 10 years (passport is good for 10 year), it’s worth pursue.
A goal is a dream with a deadline, so anyone with a goal to travel like this is at least nudged to follow their goals, but taking this important step. — jo
Jo, great idea. It should generate plenty of interest in the wine blogosphere. (Wish it could be me, I’d love to go to Portugal, but alas, I can’t at this time.) Your idea of a contest is the perfect use of social media, including blogs, to make things interactive and exciting. Good luck!
Thanks, Steve. You’re the perfect person for a trip like this, as is Sonadora. My hardest part of this is going to be the selection process, I’m thinking.
Maybe our day in the Portuguese sun will come, someday, Steve.
odd, they should have you come 2 days earlier so that you can be a part of the Wine Bloggers Conference: http://winebloggersconference.org/europe/
would seem silly to miss it!!!
ViniPortugal Gave away 2 trips already!
Well, we didn’t even look at those dates. It had to do with available times, getting a passport considerations, etc.
Well hopefully we can meet up when you are there…Please contact us if you have any free time to pop in and say hi during your stay!
Otherwise, have fun, Portugal is one of the most amazing places to visit as a wine lover!
Ryan,
You’ve been on my list of people to contact, because of your blog and its focus. I was planning, once Enoforum Wines and I worked out a time that would work for us, to contact you. We, too, would love to have you meet up with us, if you were available.
Our first few days will be spent in Lisbon, so that my fellow blogger and I can learn about its history, culture, etc. Then (Tuesday-Wednesday), we’re headed to Alentejo to meet with the six wineries connected with Enoforum (the exporter vehicle).
As far as the WBC is concerned… It’s a wonderful experience for bloggers. I attended the US one in 2008, and sent my assistant to this year’s conference in Santa Rosa, because I was busy organizing the 7th Annual Petite Sirah Symposium. (I know your busyness all too well.)
I’ll send you a personal Email, so we can connect more directly.
I’m very excited to visit Portugal, because I’ve been brushing up on its history. It’s a very important piece of the wine world’s past, with an important heightened present… It’s going to be “amazing,” as you’ve noted, and will be the inspiration for many stories to come from me… and someone else lucky enough to be able to travel with me, through Enoforum Wines.
please email me, and we’ll talk
Great contest Jo and fabulous opportunity for a wine blogger. Only one question — why, of, why does it have to be a US Citizen based in the US. There’s lots of us out here in the big wide world who’d also love the chance to be in the running for this great prize. I meet all your requirements, including being a US citizen…but I don’t live in the US at present. Instead I live in the great wine country of New Zealand.
Cheers,
Liz
Hi Jo! This is exciting indeed! If you come on the 28th you can join the group coming here for the Pre Conference Winery Visit at Cortes de Cima! http://winebloggersconference.org/europe/announcements/pre-conference-ewbc-gathering-at-cortes-de-cima-winery/
We are only a 35 mins drive from Evora, so we are very happy to receive you any other time that suits your schedule! Send me an email!
Hi, Liz,
Enoforum Wines is trying to break into the US market. So the intent was to create a buzz here. There’s not telling what the future will hold for the rest of the world, and Enoforum has wine placed in Holland, United States of America, Poland, Brazil, Russian Federation, Canada, China, Angola, and Belarus. I’m only responsible for the US, and want to work with someone in the US.
I never had your scenario in mind, but – as I’ve said – the future is before us, and there’s no telling what it holds.
As I explore the world, it just continues to shrink… Have fun in New Zealand! If you ever get a chance, say hi to my friends at Mills Reef!
Hi, Carrie,
Thanks for the invite. I’ll be flying on the 28th. We’ll be arriving on that day, with me having flown in from San Francisco. (It’s always a trip just to get from SFO to the east coast… then, onto Portugal.) As lovely as your invite is for us, I know I’ll be completely wiped by the time I arrive.
Once there, my schedule is going to be pretty much arranged for me by Enoforum Wines.
The original trip was intended to visit with their wineries, and once the conference is over, we’re going to be headed in that direction.
There’s quite a buzz about this conference in Portugal. You’re all going to be having an amazing time with so many eager people to tell your stories.
Thanks for contacting me, and please let’s find each other at the conference! We’ll have lots to talk about there in the social part of it. I look forward to meeting you in person.