Code Red: Distillery Tank Spill Sends Wine River Big Enough to ‘Fill Olympic-Sized Swimming Pool’ Through This Small Town

Vines along the Duoro River in Portugal. (Photo: AP Photo/Giovanna Dell’Orto)

The small, picturesque town of São Lourenco do Barrio issued an environmental alert on Sunday because of a fast-moving, gigantic wine river that flooded the sleepy village according to Monday’s article in The Daily Mail.

Approximately 2.2 million liters of red wine flooded the streets when Levira Distillery, a local winery, apparently experienced a malfunction with its tanks.

The amount of wine could have filled an “Olympic-sized swimming pool” according to the Daily Mail, and officials ended up getting involved in diverting the flow over to a field, the local news claimed.

The New York Post provided a video of the wine river, which can be viewed below:

An environmental alert was issued, as the wine could have potentially contaminated the nearby Certina River.

Fortunately, the local fire department blocked it off and diverted the wine river’s path. It appears nobody was harmed.

According to the local firefighters, a basement in a home near the distillery was damaged by the wine.

The New York Post shared that Levira Distillery issued a statement shortly after the incident.

“We assume full responsibility for the costs associated with cleaning and repairing the damage, having teams do so immediately,” the statement read.

Portugal — a value-driven wine region with hidden gems

As far as wine regions are concerned, Portugal is considered by many wine experts to be a region to watch. Though the region flies under the radar, often overshadowed by France and Napa, Portugal is a heaven for those who love big red wines – and a good value.

Wine Enthusiast claims the wines of Portugal have a great “high quality-to-price ratio,” and some great bottles can be found at $15 and under.

According to Wine Folly, a wide variety of grapes that grow in Portugal grow nowhere else due to the region’s relative isolation, offering oenophiles and novices alike opportunities to try wines that are truly distinctive.

Portugal has over 250 grapes that are indigenous to the region, and the country is known for producing fairly priced reds, whites, and rosé wines.

Fans of Cabernet Sauvignon will probably enjoy the fuller-bodied Touriga Nacional grape, a wine that can be drunk early on or aged for a bit of time. Wine Folly describes Touriga Nacional as possessing aromas of violets, blueberries, plums and mint, with an enormous amount of body and tannin.

The type of wine that flooded São Lourenco do Barrio remains to be seen.

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