The Story
The Start
" ...it was the Port Tonic that truly captured her heart. It became her go-to choice, whether she was heading out on a first date or taking a well-deserved break in the sunshine.
On a perfect day after shopping in the Principe Real neighborhood of Lisbon, sitting there in a park while drinking port tonics and snacking on olives, with a magical gift of spontaneous generosity in the form of fifty euros, Portotônico was born – a drink that encapsulates heritage, soul, and friendship. We love that Port has been enjoyed for centuries and we love that we can make it with quality natural ingredients with a lower alcohol content. How could something so old feel so new? We are reintroducing a timeless classic and making it modern - Portotonico.
We are keeping it simple, naturally. Like the best friendships and experiences and clothes and cocktails, Portotonico is effortlessly effervescent.
“She is my best friend, Godmother to my children, “Bridget-whisperer” to my husband, and now my partner in work. We wanted to bottle the experience we’d had as best friends, and that’s precisely what Portotonico is. Check out how it all came together on ur Story."
The Story
Miranda's journey to Portugal initially piqued her curiosity about Port wine, but it was the Port Tonic that truly captured her heart. It became her go-to choice, whether she was heading out on a first date or taking a well-deserved break in the sunshine.
In the summer of 2023, just before her bestie came to visit, the stars aligned for an unforgettable adventure. A spontaneous 50 Euro gift set the stage for their story.
Bridget: “I can’t tell the story without first talking about dinner with Gigi. We were having dinner in Los Angeles and I mentioned that I was leaving the next day for Portugal. Gigi insisted that I take her remaining euros from a recent trip of her own. Although I said ‘no’ about ten times, I finally acquiesced and agreed to take 50 euros from my friend. ‘Do something fun with it’ she said. So I took it and didn’t think much of it.
On my second or third day in Lisbon, Miranda and I set out on a casual day of shopping which turned into a full marathon. What can I say? I’m a shopper. As I continued to shop at every store in the Principe Real neighborhood, Miranda found a spot to take a break. A little bite to eat and something refreshing sounded perfect and it was also a perfect time to use my 50 euros! So I handed the $50 to Miranda while I went into one final boutique.When I met her at the table, she had a bowl of olives and two Port Tonics. I took one sip and fell in love.
WHAT WAS THIS? AND WHY DON’T WE HAVE THIS AT HOME??”
Miranda: “I’d been wondering that same thing for years! But in that moment, we both simultaneously knew we had to do something about it and introduce it to our friends.”