Of all the wine-producing countries that keep Irish drinkers happy, until recently Portugal was probably the one I knew least. Beyond the sunshine strip of the Algarve, it seemed, lay a patchwork of baffling regions making wines that were equally patchy in their appeal. But steadily the news filtered out that, with new EU investment, Portugal was becoming one of Europe's hottest spots for well-made wines with character at knockdown prices.
On a five-day expedition, hurtling the length and breadth of the country in a stressed-out minibus, riches were discovered in the sort of quantities that would have made old Vasco da Gama drink a toast in salute. The white wines were fresher and more interesting that I'd imagined, but some strongly individualistic reds from some of the most dynamic regions stole the crown.
Individuality is Portugal's strong suit. It comes through in the diversity of landscape and climate for a start - cool and lush in the north, hot and parched in the south-east, with variations in the regions dotted in between. That means a country roughly the same size as Ireland is able to produce wines in many very different styles. And then there are the grapes - scores of native varieties with unusual flavours and curious, not to say obscure, names.
"Do you realise," our Portuguese organiser asked the first day, "that three of our grape names mean `little parrot', `strangled dog' and `fly shit'? What a country!"
Let me take you on a quick north-south tour of the highlights. The first wines to make a serious impression were from the Douro - port country. Since the market for cheap port began to collapse, producers are using grapes from the steeply terraced vineyards above the river to make increasing quantities of quality table wine.
A mouthful of Ferreira's famous Barca Velha, the prototype, was an introduction to the smoky, dense, luscious style that many other estates (or quintas) have emulated at much less alarming prices. On the strength of those tasted so far, it seems safe to say these big red wines are miles more exciting than those from better-known northern regions such as Dao and Bairrada. So remember the Douro - a long way from dour or dire. On to the Ribatejo, "the banks of the Tagus", Portugal's fruit and vegetable garden, with brown horses and brown, alluvial soil the only colour contrast to luxuriant acres of green. It is here that Peter Bright, the Australian who has worked so diligently for almost 20 years to improve the standard of Portuguese wines, is now based. Working both with native grapes and with international varieties, he produces some interesting, well-priced wines under the Bright Brothers and Fiuza & Bright labels.
The Ribatejo is also the home of Casa Cadaval, an estate managed by the charmingly feisty Countess Graziella Schonborn, in whose family it has been since 1643. "The last four generations of owners have all been women," she beams, pointing towards rose-tinted cellar walls. "That's why it's a bit pink in here." Her wines - assertive, unusual and deeply appealing - seem the perfect expression of her personality.
From here, a short detour west leads to the Setubal peninsula, south-east of Lisbon - a small region known both for its Muscat-based dessert wine and for two immensely successful big companies. Jose Maria da Fonseca, whose wines are familiar on the Irish market, stands just an amble away from the immaculate new winery of J. P. Vinhos in the little goat's-cheese-making town of Azeitao. J. P. needs no introduction, since the red last year overtook Mateus Rose to become the best-selling Portuguese wine in Ireland. Less well known, perhaps, is the fact that Antonio Avillez, the energetic architect and epicurean who drives the company, is a descendant of the O'Neills of "Wild Geese" fame.
Further south, the Alentejo is widely tipped as Portugal's most promising region. This comes as a shock in a sprawling area where wheat fields, olive groves and ancient cork oak trees (source of most of the world's wine corks) stretch towards the wide, heat-baked horizon. But there are plenty of vineyards, too. It is here, as well as in the Ribatejo, that the country's best known consultant and Richard Gere lookalike, Joao Portugal Ramos, whizzes about, tweaking vines and wines at breathless speed. By contrast, the Australian wine-maker David Baverstock put down vine-like roots in the Alentejo in the early 1990s after a period of port-making in the Douro. "I'm from the Barossa Valley, and it's more like the Barossa here," he says simply. From his base, the American-owned Esporao estate, he makes wines that match the company's vast, well maintained vineyards and space-age winery for impact.
So there you have the guts of it - the Douro, the Ribatejo, the Setubal area and the Alentejo are four places to look for Portuguese panache at strikingly reasonable prices. All those bizarre grapes are worth exploring, too. Keep an eye out for the port grape, Touriga Nacional, and for Tinta Roriz, Portugal's equivalent of Tempranillo, which somewhat confusingly also goes under the name Aragonez.
Then there's lovely, raspberryish Trincadeira - also sometimes known as Periquita, and easy to encounter. That's the little parrot accounted for. I'm still searching - uneasily - for the fly droppings and the throat-threatening strangled dog.
Bright Brothers Baga 1995 (Superquinn, Redmonds, £4.99): Peter Bright describes the thickskinned Baga grape as "usually aggressive at first, then dusty and musty - but I thought it could be interesting when young if it were softened up a bit". Here's the proof, in a wine with juicy berry flavours and a lively, peppery aftertaste. Very different, good value.
J. P. Regional Reserva 1991 (Molloys, many SuperValus nationwide, McCabes, Terroirs and other outlets, usually £5.99): No, not the red J. P. that's Ireland's Portuguese best-seller. A new (but older) luxury version, with extra body, extra flavour, extra smoothness, for just an extra £2. See Bottle of the Week.
Duas Quintas Douro, Ramos-Pinto, 1993 (Searsons, £7.25): A good example of how skilfully the port houses are applying their expertise to table wine. Joao de Almeida, wine-maker for Ramos-Pinto (now owned by Roederer), belongs to the family who created the first and best known one, Barca Velho, for Ferreira. Smooth, dark, rich, spicy and delicious. Quinta de Camarate, Jose Maria da Fonseca, 1992 (Mitchells, Vintage, Foleys Cabinteely, Kellys Artane, Cooneys Harold's Cross, some SuperValus and many other outlets, usually about £8.29): A super wine from one of the many estates under the sizeable and venerable J. M. da Fonseca umbrella. Sweet, opulent fruit - raisin, date and fig flavours give richness - with chocolatey smoothness and a nice dart of spice. Casa Cadaval Trincadeira 1994? (exclusive to Molloys, £8.59): From Cadaval's spirited countess, an enticing varietal with the smoky, raspberry character typical of Trincadeira, presented in polished and substantial form.