The ABC’s of Porto will get familiarized with local culture!
The Douro Region is one of the most beautiful and ancient wine regions of the world. And it has been producing wine for more than 2000 years!
In Medieval times, the Cistercian Order had a big influence on winemaking in the region. Fast forwarding to the 17th century, the commercial alliance between Portugal and the UK made the Douro wines one of the greatest exportation produces in the country! In 1756, the region became the world’s first wine region to have a formal demarcation.
The success of the Douro region on winemaking is due to a number of factors. Sheltered from the Atlantic winds by the Marão and Montemuro mountains, it has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cold winters; the surroundings of lower valleys and rivers like Varosa, Corgo, Távora, Torto and Pinhão; and its wild and hilly landscape with schist and granite-based soils. Great human knowledge and strength are also another part of the success on producing the best grapes and winemaking processes!
The Douro region is divided into three subregions: Baixo Corgo (below the Corgo river, with 35,000 acres), with the mildest climate and most precipitation; Cima Corgo (above the river, with 47,000 acres), where the most famous Quintas are located; and Douro superior (Upper Douro, 21,000 acres), the hottest and driest of the subregions that goes all the way to the Spanish border.
Even though fortified Port wine was the only product of interest to the foreign market, table wines had always been produced in the Douro region. That only changed recently, when a number of good table wines emerged in the 1990’s and gained popular taste. In 2001, UNESCO declared the Douro winemaking region as a World Heritage Site!
To discover more about the Douro region and its secrets, book a Douro Tour with us! We will visit the Douro Museum, have lunch in a typical restaurant and take a boat ride on the river! We will also visit a Quinta to see how Port wine is made and taste it! Don’t miss this truly cultural experience :)
