Nick Haslam talks to villager making a hoe to weed the vineyards in the Douro valley Portugal
The Region of Douro starts approximately one hundred kilometres east of Porto, to the border with Spain. It covers approximately 250,000 hectares, of which 40,000 are under vine. The Port vineyards are planted along the steep, spectacular hills overlooking the River Douro and its tributaries. Generations of men and women have toiled tirelessly to build terraces into the rock face (an essential element for supporting the vines on these slopes) that created an impressive landscape of unequalled beauty where stifling hot, dry summers are followed by harsh, wet winters. It is the region’s characteristic poor soil and uncompromising Mediterranean-like climate which produces one of the most sought after wines in the world, Port. Types of Wine/Grapes The main grape varieties grown in the region are used to make both table wines and Port. Around 90 different varieties are permitted, of which the best are Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. Gouveio, Malvasia fina and Viosinho are the favoured white grapes. The sweet fortified wine known as Port, evolved in the early part of the 18th century, when a measure of brandy was added to the region’s dry (and fairly poor quality wines) to stabilize them during shipment abroad.
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