The surplus wine is worth 18.6 million euros

Jose Manuel Fernandez admitted that “the flow [do vinho] is one of the biggest challenges this year,” adding that “last year €18.6 million was spent on distillation, with the exclusive permission of the European Commission. We cannot say every year that we will have an exception when other member states have moved to siphon off resources from the state budget.”

The minister said Portugal has “wine of excellent quality” and announced the government would “significantly strengthen” controls to ensure wine does not enter the country illegally. According to a report from the National Institute of Statistics in October, wine will be produced by 2023. in 2023 will be 7.3 million hectoliters, the highest level since 2006.