Desire Petroleum has acquired 33% of Churchill Graham Holdings (port and table wines) in an equity increase which raised €4 million for this Douro winemaking estate. Led by Colin Phipps Desire Petroleum has oil prospecting rights on the Falkland Islands. Following the capital injection the holding is now divided 3 ways between the Graham family (Anthony, William and John - 33%), Desire Petroleum - 33% - and a group of some 40 international investors - 33%. The cash will be invested in expanding Churchill’s Douro table wine business which from 2009 will be produced in a new wine cellar to be built in the demarcated region. At Quinta da Gricha, one of two estates – the other is Rio estate – owned by Churchill at Cima Corgo, an additional 25ha of vines mainly the Touriga nacional variety, are to be planted. The aim over the next five years is to boost annual production to 300,000 bottles of table wine. Production in 2007 was 252,000 bottles of port and 120,000 bottles of table wine. Churchill produces only special category port wines particularly Vintage and LBV and high quality table wines.

Real estate and tourism developers in the three poorest Alentejo local authorities (on the lower Guadiana -- Vila Real de Stº António, Castro Marim, Alcoutim and Mértola) are investing €2000 million in a range of luxury river fronted developments but the river remains navigable only from its mouth at Vila Real de Stº António (VRSA) to Mértola. Plans to dredge the river and make it navigable for tourism excursions and pleasure boating activities are a key target for local authorities. They have joined forces to apply for funding under second generation Polis XXI programme to make the river navigable. Luís Gomes Mayor of VRSA says if the river is dredged it will become accessible for pleasure boats and make planned marinas and small boat harbour’s viable. The local authorities say the Guadiana river requires the same level of investment and state intervention as has been given to the Douro valley. (which is now navigable almost to the border with Spain.)

According to Roper Report Worldwide (GfK Group, world’s 5th-ranked market research group) which reviewed consumer habits across 31 countries, the Portuguese consumers are the least adventurous when purchasing new products. The latest Roper Report describes Portuguese consumers as being the least faithful to brands. The Portuguese consumer profile it portrays suggests consumers invest little time in any researching of products and brands ahead of a purchase and only 20% indulge in and believe such research is important before making a purchase. Only 35% of Portuguese consumers claim to have any strong specific brand loyalty. The seven most favoured brands across all countries surveyed are Apple, Disney, Google, McDonald's, Mercedes, National Geographic and Pepsi. In Portugal Mercedes is the most popular of all brands and Mercedes are among the top ten most sold vehicles in Portugal. 17% of Portuguese admit to regular participation in sporting activities , 28% expressed interest in music, 26% in watching sporting events, 21% in cinema, 22% in children's education, 19% in travel. Cooking for pleasure is a highly popular pastime in Portugal. The Portuguese are not indifferent to brands that offer status such as Mercedes, BMW and Nokia which hold the top three places but they attribute less importance than others in the survey to the appearance and style of technology products at moment of purchase.