This article has been automatically translated from its original language – Portuguese.
I have the honor and the privilege of being the first Brazilian to be admitted to the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, in the rank of Knight, at the third Chapter on 29 May 1984. My nomination was proposed by Casa Manoel D. Poças Junior from Vila Nova de Gaia.
I could not attend the Enthronement Ceremony, I would postpone it until the following year to be present in Porto.
But I had the pleasant surprise of, in September 1984, as part of an Exhibition I set up about Port Wine and its History at the Museu da Casa Brasileira in São Paulo, to receive the illustrious visit of my great friend and Master in the art of Port Wine, José António Ramos Pinto Rosas, who informed me that I was the bearer of the Tomboladeira and the Cavalier Diploma, and that they would be given to me after a speech I would give at the Club Atlético Paulistano in São Paulo.
And so it was, at the end of the lecture, in the presence of hundreds of people I received from the hands of my friend Zé António (as we called him) the knighthood insignia and the respective diploma as the attached photo shows. It was one day in September 1984.
The most curious fact was that, when looking for the Diploma, both Zé António and I were scared, because it was blank! This fact was corrected the following year when I received the correct Diploma.
In the year 2003 I was promoted to Infanção (Infanction) in the same Confraternity, and the then Chancellor Vito Olazabal, with his characteristic humour said to me when imposing the full costume on me:
Dear Carlos, now you only lack the title of Cancelario!!!!
To which I replied: I have no intention of being Head of State!!!!
Carlos Ernesto Cabral de Mello