Dominic Sandbrook

Yes, this is slightly undeserved, isn't it?

There aren't loads of people working on this and he's basically just the figurehead.

Yeah, but he's a fun figurehead.

That is so interesting.

It never occurred to me before, but of course.

We have.

We did a whole episode about the Methuen Treaty, I think, when we did the 12 Days of Christmas or something like that.

I can't remember exactly what it was.

So England is at war with France.

So access to French wine has been cut off.

The Methuen Treaty is a treaty that allows wool to go to Portugal, England's oldest ally.

And at the same time, England cuts import duties on Portuguese wine.

So Portuguese wine comes the other way.

This is the sort of genesis of the English fascination with port.

Port wine, isn't it?

Yeah, exactly.

So when you go to Porto and you go up the banks of the River Douro, you see all the great

You know, port wine lodges, tailors and sandermen.

But also in the Alentejo, which is the kind of Portuguese rural heartland, there are these great forests.

I was actually only there a couple of weeks ago.