WINE REGIONS

Porto e Douro

Sub-Regiões

01 Baixo Corgo
02 Alto Corgo
03 Douro Superior

Description of Porto's and Douro's Region

Douro is one of the wildest and most rugged regions in Portugal, carved by the valley of the Douro River and the poverty of the schistous soils.

Nowhere else in Portugal is human intervention in the landscape so evident; it is visible in the thousands of terraces scattered throughout the region, defying gravity on the steep slopes where the vineyards are planted. For its beauty and grandeur, the region has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The Douro region is bounded by the Douro River, extending from the border with Spain to about 90 kilometers from the city of Porto.
Highly mountainous, the region is shielded from Atlantic influences by the Serra do Marão. The climate is generally dry, with cold winters and very hot summers, ranging from moderate rainfall in the west to the nearly desert-like aridity of the lands near the border.
It is in Douro that Port wine is born, the main ambassador of national wines, supported in the last two decades by the still wines of the Douro, that have gained recognition and independence, and are now a source of even greater renown for the region.

Photo gallery of Porto’s and Douro’s wine region

1 4

Douro is divided into three subregions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior. Baixo Corgo, under the direct influence of the Serra do Marão, is the coolest and rainiest subregion, as well as the most fertile and the one with the highest density of vineyards. Cima Corgo is known as the heart of the Douro, where many of the top-tier Port wines are produced. Douro Superior, the largest subregion, is the warmest, driest, and most extreme, but also the least rugged, characterized by aridity and scorching summers.

It is one of the richest regions in terms of indigenous grape varieties, with hundreds of unique varieties and an extensive area of old vines, sometimes planted with dozens of varieties mixed together.

Among the hundreds of grape varieties, five red varieties stand out: Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional, selected for their excellence in the production of Port wine; as well as the Sousão and Tinta Amarela (Trincadeira) varieties. The white grape varieties Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Moscatel, Rabigato, and Viosinho are also noteworthy.

Culture

The aguardente

As Port wine exports grew, the practice of adding wine spirit (fortification) began. This allowed the wine to remain unchanged during the sea voyage, and halting fermentation through fortification made it sweeter and better suited to the tastes of the English market.

Douro: Demarcated Region

In 1756, the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro was established. This organization’s primary responsibilities included demarcating the region and registering the vineyards, classifying wines according to their quality, and establishing winemaking practices. This marked the birth of one of the world’s first demarcated wine regions.

The name Porto

The name "do Porto" comes from the fact that the wine is stored and sold from the port located between the city of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The wine was transported down the Douro River on rabelo boats and aged in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, as this area experiences few temperature fluctuations throughout the year.

The rarest Port wine

The most expensive and rarest Port wine in the world is produced by Quinta do Noval. Its National Vintage Port is produced rarely and always in limited numbers (200 to 250 cases). One of its particularities is the fact that the grapes come from vines planted without rootstocks, very old and rare in the region.

DISCOVER OTHER REGIONS:

Trás-os-Montes

Távora e Varosa

Bairrada

Beira Interior