The focus this week has been on Portugal’s boys in red after they unexpectedly won the Euro 2016 football championships. Add that to the heroics of Iceland and Wales plus Ireland, both North and South and it was a tournament for underdogs. This week’s first wine tasted in Galway is a Portuguese underdog from an unrenowned region but it’s also a winner

Porta 6 2013, €12.95 but reduced during July to €10 is one of O’Briens best-selling wines. Whatever it tastes like it’s hard not to be drawn to the strikingly pretty label, which is a water colour of one of Lisbon’s famous old trams.

Fortunately, it tastes pretty good too. It’s from hills north of Lisbon and made from Tinto Roriz (Portugal’s name for Tempranillo), Castelão and Touriga Nacional. As you might expect it’s a richly fruity, slightly jammy soft red full of bramble fruit and a little liquorice spice that’s just perfect for casual eating or parties and celebrating football wins. https://www.obrienswine.ie/wine/current-offers/july-wine-promotions/porta-6.html

Winemaker and owner António Mendes Lopes of Vidigal had bought the picture which is on the label, but had trouble tracking down the artist to get his permission to use it. He turned out to be German artist by called Hauke Vagt, who sells his work to tourists on the streets of Lisbon.

Today’s white is from local Galway merchant Thomas Woodberrys Wines on Middle Street. They have a number of offers on this July, one of which is for Austrian producer Müller from Krems and it’s called ‘Martin’, which is the obvious reason I like, it plus it’s an unusual blend of Grüner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc at €12.95, reduced by €2.

Martin Moran, Master of Wine.

Twitter: @winerepublic