Portugal's classic fortified red wine is made in the hot, arid Douro Valley,
one of the world's most difficult wine-growing regions
LOCATION
Then there is the location: the valley sits 100km inland from the city of Porto & a journey to the vineyards takes more than 3 hours, crossing the Serra do Marão mountain range. Stubbornly, amid this dramatic landscape
, the vine thrives, producing some of the world's last affordable fine wines.
WINTER
Winter, in the remote upper reaches of the Douro Valley: early morning fog sits in the basin, hugging the terraced vineyards that form a natural staircase down to the water's edge. As the morning gives way to afternoon, the anemic sun burns through
, lifting the heavy mist & exposing the dramatic steep-sided canyon.
SOIL & CLIMATE
And the soil: it is here, on top of a thin layer of flaky ochre-colored rock, known as schist
, that the vine is at its most unexpected. In the summer, temperatures can reach up to 45°C, while plunging to -4°C in the depths of winter. 3 months of winter then 9 months of 'hell': the brief cold contrasts with the intense heat & drought of the rest of the year.
- Terraced Vineyards -
1. Traditional walled terraces
support the region's oldest vineyards, created using rock which was first removed from where the vines were to be planted - now strictly preserved through UNESCO
2. Patamare terraces
are not supported by dry-stone walls - constructed extensively in the 1970s & '80s with earth-moving equipment, they are separated by tall earth banks
3. Vinha ao alto
, or vertical-row vineyards, are now replacing some patamares - running perpendicularly up the hillside, they can only be created on the region's gentler slopes
- Made by Hand -
The steep terrain means most grapes can only be harvested by hand
The best quintaKEEN-ta (winery) sort their grapes by hand, before being destemmed
Grapes for Vintage Port are trodden barefootHuman feet are ideal as they don't crush the pips with their gentle tread, whose natural tannins would otherwise add bitterness to the wine to release maximum colour
- Fortification -
When half of the natural grape sugars have turned to alcohol, treadingMechanised 'treading' is now increasingly used for crushing lower-quality grapes stops, & the skins then rise to the surface of the granite lagar. The fermenting wine, under this cap of skins, is run out into a vat where young wine brandy is added to kill off fermentation yeasts. This fortification allows some of the grape's natural sweetness to be retained in the finished wine
- Port Styles -
Ruby: Matured for a minimum two years in huge vats
before being bottled. These immense vessels minimize wine oxidation, to create a bright garnet or ruby-colored wine. Ready to drink once bottled
Tawny: Aged in smaller barrels
for a longer period, allowing more air to come in contact with the wine. Ready to drink once bottled, with a final colour ranging from brown to deep mahogany
Vintage: Long-lived blend from a superior year's harvest. Aged for two years in wood before the final declaration is made, then bottle-aged for, often, many decades more. Decanting
is essential - removing sediment & allowing the wine to unfold
Crusted Port: Top quality Ruby Port, unfiltered, which will continue to bottle-age
Late-Bottled Vintage: Wood-aged for longer than normal Vintage, but matures sooner
Colheita:Col-YAY-ta Tawny Port made from a single vintage, rather than a blend of several years
White Port: Made with white grapes instead of red & drunk chilled, often with tonic
- Douro Sub-Regions -
Cima Corgo:SEE-ma Kaw-go Source of most Vintage Port & almost half Douro's total wine production
Baixo Corgo:BY-shoe Kaw-go Cooler, wetter & more accessible - known for bulk Ruby Port production
Douro Superior:DOOR-roe Superior Driest, hottest & most remote - becoming known for non-fortified red wine
There is a local saying that the best Port comes from grapes that can hear the river flowing
Some of the Port brands you'll find on our shelves
Read more about fortified wine on our Sherry page
