Douro, an essential visit this spring
Not to be missed among the best wine tourism destinations in the world for 2023 is Portugal’s Douro wine region. Douro is a Portuguese appellation of controlled origin (DOC) for wines produced in the demarcated Douro region, which encompasses the sub-regions of Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior, located in the north of the country, around the Douro River.
Red and white wines welcome us, with varietals such as the reds Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional or the whites Donzelinho Branco, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Rabigato and Viosinho.
Our first recommendation is a visit to CARM – Casa Agricola Roboredo Madeira, which can be perfectly defined as a family project since it has been in the same family since it started its activity in the middle of the 17th century. The agricultural activity has always been centered in the region where the Douro River flows into Portugal, where the oldest appellation in the world, the “Região Demarcada do Douro” of Port Wine, also has its origin.
But we are not only talking about fantastic wine producers, but also, from the beginning, focused on the production of olive oil. Both are made exclusively with grapes and olives respectively, coming from their own farms, with 220 hectares of olive trees and 62 hectares of vineyards around the village of Almendra, the finest area of the Upper Douro within the Archaeological Reserve of Vale do Côa.
The nature of the soils, very poor and stony, on steep slopes, together with the robustness of the climate, characterized by high temperatures and very little rainfall (400 mm per year), have shaped the traditional cultivation of this area for centuries.
Another visit not to be missed in the area is a visit to Quinta do Portal. Quinta do Portal & Casa das Pipas. The winery is Quinta do Portal. Casa das Pipas is the hotel that has this winery within its facilities, ideal for wine tourists without a doubt.
It is a winery located in the Douro Valley, in the north of Portugal. A wine-growing area such as the Alto Douro, a place inscribed on the list of UNESCO’s natural heritage.
To speak of a ‘Quinta’ is to speak of a typically Portuguese house (like calling it a Chateau in France). Quinta do Portal is an independent family house that has become what is known as a “Boutique Winery”, dedicated to the production of DOC Douro wines, Port Wines of special categories and Moscatel.
It is a project that began in the early 90’s of the last century and started from a centenary property of the family where Port wine was produced. But from the beginning, the main idea was to produce world-class Douro wines.
Next we stop at Quinta Do Vale Meão. Located in Vila Nova de Foz Côa in the Douro area. A Quinta whose history began in the 19th century by the hand of Mons. Antônia Adelaida Ferreira. In 1877, already the owner of the largest agricultural heritage of the Douro, she bought 300 hectares of virgin land with the intention of building a model farm from scratch, an ambitious project that was fully carried out between 1887 and 1895. It was the last and most significant achievement of that lady, who nevertheless enjoyed little of it, as she died in 1896.
Since then, the Quinta Do Vale Meão has always remained in the possession of her descendants.
In the 1980s, her actions were intense for the implantation of the Touriga Nacional varietal, a variety that until then had been almost abandoned in Douro, due to its low productivity and difficulty of cultivation. The surprise was when it proved to be very adaptable to the geographic-climatic characteristics of the Douro Superior. This varietal has contributed greatly to the quality and originality of the Quinta’s wines. Given that the terroirs of the Quinta have differentiated geological characteristics in terms of soils, essence, granite and alluvium, efforts have been made to take advantage of this diversity to ensure its complexity.
Finally, we recommend a visit to Quinta da Pôpa. Located in Tabuaço in the Douro wine region of Portugal. A relatively young winery but which shows a great know-how in their work in the vineyards and, of course, which is reflected in their spectacular wines.
Back in 2003 the father of the current managers of the winery, bought the property fulfilling the dream of his father (grandfather of the current managers), Francisco Ferreira, better known as Pôpa.
The banks of the Douro River approach the winery and its vineyards, enveloping the visitor in an undoubtedly exciting experience. In 2012, Quinta do Pôpa opened its doors to the public, encouraged by friends and family to do so. Each visitor’s welcome remains informal and intimate with the goal of sharing the story and highlighting the people who reflect the character of Pôpa wine. Wine tourists can experience an active part of the production, which takes us on a journey, first explaining the vineyards and grape varieties passing through the entire process to finally get to taste the nectar of their wines.