Growing Region Douro | Portugal

In the Douro region grows an incredible variety of grape varieties. There are still many small vineyards with the so-called mixed set, a traditional mixture of grape varieties. Some winemakers consider this "mix of grapes" as the key to the highest quality. Others believe that the best grape varieties are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, which are also used for port wine. Still others prefer the Sousão (or Vinhão) for its welcome acidity. What is certain is that the cultivation of individual varieties facilitates the daily work of winemakers, since pruning, harvesting, etc. can be done at the same time and for the entire vineyard of one variety. The traditional vineyards with their old, spectacular, stone-walled wine terraces are still preserved today in the center of the Douro - after all, they are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In other parts of the region, the landscape is dominated by modern terraces, separated by earthen rather than stone walls, with the greater distance between vines leaving enough room for tractors to pass through. On the less steep hills, the vines are generally grown vertically rather than terraced. There are also big changes in the wineries themselves.

The Douro Valley is probably the largest wine region in the world where significant quantities of the grapes are still pressed by foot - in shallow open fermentation vats called lagares. The seeds and stems of the grapes are not crushed in this method. In recent years, robots have increasingly taken over the footwork, so-called "robotic lagares" (robos for short), which simulate the movements of the feet. The DOC Douro is divided into three geographical sub-areas: The westernmost area, Baixo Corgo, is the coldest of the three sub-regions. Influenced by the maritime climate, the wines there are a bit lighter. Cima Corgo, around the town of Pinhão, is the heart of the Douro. Protected from maritime influences by mountains, two-thirds of Douro wines are currently produced here. To the east, towards the Spanish border, lies Douro Superior. Wild, isolated, and with extreme weather conditions such as cold winters and scorching hot summers, yields here have always been very limited and meager. Nevertheless, in recent years, winemakers have recognized the region's potential and have initiated considerable new plantings. However, the fact that just 17 percent of the potential growing area is planted with vines proves that growing grapes on the rocky terrain is very difficult. The base wine for Portugal's port wines is produced and fortified in the wineries of the Douro Valley. It is then taken to the port wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia, a town located across the estuary from Porto, for aging. Port wine comes in a wide variety of styles from young, fruity white, tawny and ruby to the most expensive and exclusive vintage port wines and aged tawnies. Vintage Port is bottled after only 2 years of aging from the barrel, thus retaining its red color and strong aroma. It benefits from further aging in the bottle, gaining complexity. Single Quinta Vintage Port wines come from private wineries. Colheita Port wines are also made from grapes of a particular vintage, but are aged in wooden barrels for at least seven years before being bottled. Tawny Port wines, on the other hand, have aging periods of ten, 20, 30 or 40 years. They are characterized by a lighter color, a soft delicate note and a higher complexity due to the aging process in the barrel.

White main grape varieties: Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Rabigato, Côdega, Donzelinho Branco, Esgana Cão and Folgazão

Red main grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Aragonez), Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Castelão, Rufete, Tinta Amarela (Trincadeira) and Tinta Francisca.