Port Wine Trade Protected by Treaty with England
Poets involved
What happened
The Methuen Treaty, signed between England and Portugal in 1703, established a preferential trade agreement that effectively gave English woolens access to the Portuguese market and Portuguese wines, particularly Port wine, preferential treatment in the English market. This treaty solidified the Port wine trade, which relied on shipping fortified wine in barrels from the Douro Valley in Portugal to Porto, and then on to England. The political and economic backing of this treaty transformed Port wine into a global commodity and demonstrated how geopolitics could shape the transport and consumption of a specific foodstuff.
Literary impact
The Methuen Treaty and the rise of Port wine influenced English drinking habits and, consequently, the poetry that celebrated those habits. Port wine became the drink of choice for the English gentleman, frequently mentioned in the satirical and convivial verse of the 18th century. Poets like Jonathan Swift and John Gay wrote about the pleasures of Port, embedding this specific wine, and its trade, into the literary culture of Augustan England, showcasing how a trade agreement could shape poetic subject matter.
Source: Wikipedia
