▻ Optimism in the Wine World with Adrian Bridge
In conversation with Adrian Bridge, CEO The Fladgate Partnership
In partnership with The Fladgate Partnership
Episode Summary:-
Adrian Bridge, CEO of The Fladgate Partnership, which owns Taylors, Fonseca and Croft port, talks to Sarah Kemp about why he is optimistic about the future, a rare expression in today’s wine world. The historic Port Houses which are world renowned, are only part of his life; he is also one of the wine world’s most active leaders, promoting sustainability and tourism, both with very visible results.
Adrian is one of the most dynamic leaders in today’s wine world. He set up the wine industry’s climate action network, the Porto Protocol, in 2018 – a charitable foundation financed by Taylor’s port. Its summits have attracted speakers such as President Obama and former Vice President Al Gore. The company is dedicated to sustainability, encompassing a holistic approach. From traditional dry farming to packaging, there is not an area that does not take the environment into account.
He has been the driving force behind the opening up of tourism in Portugal, launching one of the country’s most iconic hotels, The Yeatman, which boasts a two-star Michelin restaurant. There is also The World of Wine, with its museums, restaurants and shops – full of amazing exhibits, from sardine festivals to experiences of chocolate.
In this special episode, he discusses the 333-year-old history of Taylor’s port, which has pioneered port styles and been a beacon for quality, owning vineyards for three centuries. The company was founded in 1692 by an English merchant called Job Bearsley but it was a Mr. Taylor, who was only with the company for 26 years out of its 333 years, that the port was named after (hence Taylor’s port with an apostrophe). A Mr Fladgate and a Mr Yeatman joined the company later, but the port continues to be known as Taylor’s.
Sustainability is at the heart of the company, and Adrian explains how, apart from sourcing grapes from their own vineyards, they work with 72 growers, all concentrating on quality not quantity. Whilst working with the growers and sharing the company’s sustainable philosophy, Adrian decided to expand the idea and share knowledge with other companies. “We grow the same product, so the idea was why don’t we get everybody to share their experiences,” he says, and this was the simple premise behind the Porto Protocol, which now has 500 wineries as members in 20 countries, with 75,000 hectares of vineyards, between them creating 1.2 billion litres of wine. “One can compete on brand, we shouldn’t compete on climate,” he adds. He strongly believes that sharing your work with your contemporaries around the world can make a difference.
New projects seem to be a keynote. “You don’t survive, going back,” he states. It was a natural for him to go into wine tourism, developing the city of Porto and the Douro Valley: “If we can encourage consumers from around the world to come to our beautiful city or to our extraordinary wine region, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and actually see for themselves, they might appreciate the work and effort that goes into producing a great bottle of port.” His vision has paid off, as he reveals that 13-14 years ago 30,000 Americans came to Portugal each year, while in 2024 there were 2.5 million Americans. He believes that the attraction is that Portugal is a small country, a safe country where people speak English, and increasingly more of a tourism offer.
He is always innovating. One idea he had was to produce a Rosé port. It met with legal opposition as the regulations only allowed for white and red port. He eventually won the right to produce it under the Croft brand (another historic Port House which the company bought in 2001).
A major new innovation is Taylor’s Sentinels Vintage Port, a unique blend from their historic vineyards, the same vineyards which were demarcated as the best quality for the export market back in 1756. The name “Sentinels” refers to the granite pillars that mark the demarcation line of the highest quality port areas, where many of Taylor’s estates are located. Adrian describes the pillars as large boulders which look as if they have been left there by Asterix and Obelix.
One of the biggest innovations has been the dramatic rise of Porto and the Douro as tourist destinations, and Adrian has been leading the way in its transformation. He describes how, when they bought the Croft Port House, it came with an area of woods, and he had an idea to build a hotel. The local government was keen to redevelop the city, gave permission, and the Yeatman was created, a beautiful hotel overlooking the city, sitting in a green oasis. He hired a Michelin-star chef, and it wasn’t long before the restaurant went from one to two stars. Keen to involve and promote the local wine industry, he persuaded several top Portuguese wine producers to sponsor a room in the hotel, so you can stay in the Taylor’s room, or the Quinta do Crasto room, each with its own private terrace.
From the very beginning the Yeatman has hosted wine dinners every Thursday night (except during the Covid period), and the third Thursday of the month sees a Sunset Wine Party, where 700 people gather for great wine, food and live music. The next question Adrian asked himself after creating The Yeatman was, “what else do people do?” He explains how the city of Porto was historically run by bishops, and that even if you were a noble family, you couldn’t spend three nights in the city without paying a fine. That means there are no great noble houses, which in other cities have been turned into extraordinary museums. What Porto did have, though, was the Lodges, where the port was stored and matured, having been brought down from the Douro vineyards.
They provided the ideal place to create the next major pillar of tourism, the World of Wine, a cluster of museums, restaurants and bars, offering tourists a myriad of experiences. There is a museum on the history of the city, a chocolate museum with a chocolate factory, and of course wine. One of the experiences that caught Sarah’s eye was the Sardine Festival on June 1, and Adrian describes how they grill sardines on a BBQ and serve them with terrific white wine, accompanied by live local music.
Sarah’s final question is why Adrian is optimistic about the future, when so many people in the wine industry aren’t. “It’s belief,” he says firmly, “broadly speaking, consumers are still looking to enjoy wine.” His view is that one of the reasons that the young are not drinking as much wine is based on their perspective on what they can afford. One hugely positive trend is the rise in the numbers of people who are becoming more educated about wines – while you are looking for brand loyalty, when you start your wine journey you want to learn and discover more, which invariably leads to trying other brands.
His philosophy is shaped by the family’s history: “Running a company that’s already 333 years-old, I can assume our ancestors dealt with difficult times,” he concludes.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 14.05
“We can compete on brands, we shouldn’t compete on climate.”
– The history of Taylor’s Port.
– Sustainability – at the heart of the company’s philosophy.
– The Porto Protocol – 500 wineries in 20 countries.
– Building tourism in Porto and the Douro.
– Innovation – launching Taylor’s Sentinels Vintage Port. -
14.06 – 27.39
“Running a company that is 333 years old, I can assume our ancestors dealt with difficult times.”
– Building the Yeatman, Porto’s iconic hotel.
– The Yeatman’s wine dinners and festivals.
– How in the past the bishops controlled Porto.
– Creating the World of Wine, with its museums and experiences.
– Why Adrian is optimistic about the future of the wine world.
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