Douro

The Douro wine region is perhaps the most well known in all of Portugal. Originating deep within Spain, the banks of the Douro River cut deep into the rugged and steep terrain that is Northern Portugal, forming one of the most picturesque and unmistakable vineyard landscapes in Europe. It is the oldest Designation of Origin (DOC) of wine in the world, demarcated and legislated in 1756, far surpassing the likes of Champagne, and was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2001. Although for centuries the Douro region was mostly known for its production of the much beloved fortified Port wine – a deeply complex and rich dessert wine – it is gaining fame as a world class producer of bold Cabernet Sauvignon-type table wines. These wines have the complexity, profile, and ageability to rival many French wines. 

The Douro is divided into three areas, Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior. Baixo Cargo is the Western most, and coolest, of the three areas due in part to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and as a result, its wines tend to be lighter in nature. The Cima Corgo is further inland in what is considered to be the heartland of the Douro; it also accounts for two thirds of the Douro’s wine production. Lastly, towards the East, nearing the Spanish border, we come across Douro Superior. This is the most unforgiving area in the Douro region due to its extreme weather variation; hot, roasting summers and frigid winters have historically made wine growing here rather difficult. However, wine growers have seen the potential in this region and have been planting new vines within the last 20 years.    

Top Red Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca

Top White Varietals: Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Gouveio Rabigato