“The National Day of the Vine and Wine is hereby established, to be celebrated annually on 31 July,” reads an order published today in the Diário da República (Official Gazette).

In the decree signed by the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, José Manuel Fernandes, the government argued that wine is a symbolic pillar of the Portuguese table and the Mediterranean diet, encompassing social, economic, cultural, religious, environmental, and landscape dimensions, and has played a role in the “ritualisation that runs through the history of communities.”

The observance aims to recognise the sector’s importance and highlight the value of the wine-growing heritage, as well as the diversity of its grape varieties and regions.

The Institute of Vine and Wine (IVV) is tasked with promoting and coordinating the celebratory initiatives associated with this day.

The Government also noted that this sector is a driving force of the national economy and a tool for territorial cohesion.

“The vitality of the sector sustains rural communities in dozens of municipalities and has enabled the remarkable growth of wine tourism,” it noted.

The day will be symbolically celebrated on 31 July—the date in 1986 when the Council of Ministers approved the legislation creating the IVV, which marks its 40th anniversary this year.

To mark the occasion, the IVV will also launch a new wine and wine portal and the 2025 yearbook of Portuguese wines and spirits.

In 2025, the vineyard area in Portugal stood at 169,663 hectares, and national wine production totalled 595.6 million litres.