The Douro was long known as the source of port wine , but the region is now also notorious for its fine and full-bodied red and white wines.
Crisscrossed by the twists and turns of the Douro River, the region of the same name is one of Portugal's wildest and most mountainous corners, producing some of the most powerful wines. Along the banks and tributaries, vines defy gravity on steep slopes and thrive in slate-rich soil.
Humans have left their mark here, literally setting it in stone: The center of the Alto Douro region is famous for its historic, narrow vineyard terraces, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Today, modern terraces are much wider and supported by steep slopes.
Join us on a wine tour through the magical Douro region, which the river brings life and wine to.
Douro – The magical river of wine
The Douro is the third-longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. In Spain, it is called the Ribera del Duero and the Toro.
The winegrowing areas follow the course of the Douro River from the Spanish border in the east of the country to a point near the town of Mesão Frio , some 90 km east of Porto. Here, the Serra do Mar ão mountains rise high, protecting the region from the powerful influences of the Atlantic Ocean. Rainfall falls mostly west of the Mar ão and, to a certain extent, in the western part of the Douro wine region. Further upstream, the amount of rainfall decreases, and near the Spanish border, almost desert-like conditions prevail.
The Douro region is divided into three subregions from west to east: Baixo Corgo , Cima Corgo and Douro Superior .
The fertile Baixo Corgo near the Serra do Mar ã o is cool and rainy and is known as the subregion with the most vineyards.
Cima Corgo, including the towns of Pinhão , São João da Pesqueira and Tua , is the heart of the production of very high quality wines and also the source of many non-fortified wines.
The extreme Douro Superior region is very cold in winter, while the summer is sweltering. The Douro Superior is the largest subregion of the Douro, although by no means all of it is planted. Those longing for untouched wilderness will find it here.
“Dry” is the new port
The Douro offers a vast array of local grapes . Many wineries are planted with impressive, rugged old vines that produce their fine grapes year after year. Local winemakers produce small batches of bold, complex wines, which are used for both port and non-fortified wines.
For a long time, Portugal relied solely on its famous dessert wine, Port, but local winemakers have now discovered that their wonderful grapes have much more potential.
Thus, heavy and sweet eventually became dry. Traditional grape varieties such as Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão, which had previously been used to make port wine, were now rediscovered. The result is highly complex dry wines that linger long in the memory and leave many wine lovers speechless.
Dozens of different grape varieties are planted and processed here in a random manner. This is a regional specialty, especially evident in older wineries. Modern wineries take great care to separate their vines.
Cultivation of the red-juiced Sousão , also known as Vinhao and highly acidic , has recently increased. Another black grape popular here is Tinta Amarela (also known as Trincadeira).
Among the white grapes, the Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Moscatel, Rabigato, and Viosinho varieties are worth mentioning. Some of these are also used in the new generation of dry white wines cultivated on old vineyards at high altitudes.
The best wine route through the Douro Valley
Portugal has many dream vacation destinations, but the Douro Valley is something truly special. The magic of the river, the impressive vineyards, and the full-bodied wines give the Douro an incomparable aura that is worth at least a visit. Below are some suggestions for a wine route through the magical Douro Valley.
The route along the viewpoints crosses the river from north to south and vice versa. A comprehensive exploration of the entire Douro region is best done with a rental car. But be careful: The narrow roads in the valley are not suitable for inexperienced drivers, as they run very close to the cliffs.
With danger at our backs, the river at our backs, and tannins in our mouths, we arrive at our first stop. The Douro River flows into the southern shore of the Atlantic and flows through the port of Vila Nova de Gaia , a significant site in the history of port wine production.
Vila Nova de Gaia, located directly across the river from Porto, offers many excellent opportunities to familiarize yourself with Douro wines. In the old wineries, you can learn all about the 2,000-year-old history of the wine trade and the international rise of port wine. Various tastings will stimulate your taste buds and deepen your impressions of the Douro's long wine history.
Further inland along the river lies the town of Peso da Régua , home to the Museu do Douro . Here, the cultural identity of the Douro Valley is highlighted in various exhibition halls. An integrated restaurant, a library archive, a reading room, and a wine bar with a view of the region's namesake, the Douro River, combine tradition and modernity.
Not far away on the south side of the river is Lamego , a beautiful town at the foot of a huge staircase made of blue and white tiles—the azulejos typical of Portugal—leading to the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios pilgrimage church .
We continue east along the riverbank and soon reach Pinhão . A visit to the train station reveals a lot about the town's long, rich winemaking history, as the detailed azulejos tell a wealth of stories.
We continue on and enter the Douro International Natural Park at Barca d'Alva . From here, the Douro forms the border between Portugal and Spain. Along this stretch, the river is narrowed by mountain slopes until it reaches the border town, where it flows into Portugal.
To this point, the Douro Valley wine region is the oldest in the world. Although the river did the groundwork by carving the deep valleys into the earth, many generations of humans created the verdant vineyard terraces on the slate mountains. And so, from the interplay of the power of nature and the hard work of man, this unique landscape was born, producing a wine that continues to delight the souls and palates of wine drinkers around the world.
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