The first edition of the Porto Wine Fest is being held on the Gaia quayside until 16 September with 13 of the largest port wine producers and 40 cooking demonstrations by 25 of Portugal’s top chefs.

Ricardo Almeida, president of Gaianima, tasked with organising the event, told news agency Lusa the desire to “internationalise the festival, advertising the region and the country as a whole”, as most of the visitors Wednesday, when the event opened, were foreigners.

Mingling in the crowds were actors dressed as the Marquis of Pombal, who managed to reduce the tax on port wines and encouraged their exportation, or Antónia Ferreira one of the best known ambassadors of port wine who sought help in England to fight the Phylloxera outbreak that threatened her vines.

The president of the Port and Douro Wine Institute, Manuel Cabral, said it was the educational side of the Porto Wine Fest that made it so interesting, as people “have to relate better to port wines”, adding “try them chilled, forget the orthodox ideas and do something different”.

The food and drink stalls expect to welcome over 20,000 visitors until Sunday.