‘The Wine Shortage’

News after the fall of the Northern Monarchy.

One problem that arose during the time of the Northern Monarchy was the growing shortage of wine in the catering trade as more and more vineyards were converted to produce the Saccharomyces monarchica strain. Aware of this fact, Zé do Pipo, owner of a tavern in Ribeira, gradually set up a business to solve this problem.

Born and raised in the wine region of Alto Douro, he knew many farmers, whom he persuaded to grow clandestine vines, therefore not registered by the Monarchy’s Intelligence Service. The relatively complex network of harvest, fermenting the grapes in various discrete places, storing the wine, and distributing it to the venues of consumption, worked for a long time without arousing suspicion (although there were murmurs that some junior officials in the Department closed their eyes when necessary). Transport was carried out in a variety of ways, some more ingenious than other – for instance, in milk jars –, and storage was also carried out in unconventional places – several barrels were discovered behind the altar of Church of Carmo, during conservation work carried out on the temple. Once the sacristan was held responsible, he was arrested and imprisoned at Cadeia da Relação.

His interrogation provided information which, after persistent and patient work by the Department, led to the dismantling of the network, and the arrest of Zé do Pipo.

However, he was not deprived of his freedom for long. Considered a popular hero by the people of Porto, two nights after his arrest he managed to escape, in a way that has never been clarified. The guards were found asleep, presumably drugged. He probably left town that same night.

There was no more news of Zé do Pipo, although rumour had it that he had taken refuge in Republican territory.