Douro Valley, Portugal
In Portuguese, “Douro” means Gold. This is the color the river Douro turns in late afternoons when the sun is shining and where the river gets its name from. The beautiful landscape is carved by the river as it slithers through the hills and mountains that are filled with grapevines from top to bottom. These vines are neatly organized and spread out in different directions according to the grape variety and the grower’s knowledge.
Time seems to not have moved in the Douro since the vintners first started to make wine here. The people that live in the small towns scattered throughout still have the sense of community and sharing that their predecessors had. Above all, the people of the Douro are proud of their land and share the same charisma as the Valley itself. It is something that you can taste in Douro wines: The people’s pride of the valley.
The Douro Valley is home to a wide range of styles. This is do mostly to the diversity of climates, soils and altitudes. The region is divided in 3 parcels, from west to east: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior.
The climate gets progressively drier and hotter as you move towards the east, further away from the influence of the Atlantic ocean. The Baixo Corgo and Cima Corgo are famous for its steep slopes that reach as high as 600m. The slope grade and the altitude cause high temperature differences and microclimates in the Douro allowing winemakers to explore different styles of wine. They range from aromatic, fresh white wines to deep colored, intense red wines suitable for oak aging. Typically the aromatic white styles are made by grapes found at the top of the Marão while the intense reds sit lower and closer to the Douro river.
The main soil in the Douro is Xist, which is used religiously in the Durinse architecture. This sedimentary rock forces roots on the vines to dig deep in search for water and scarce nutrients. During the growing season, this forces grapevines to switch their focus to grape development, and leads to very concentrated fruit with intense flavors. Granite is another soil type found in the Douro. Wines grown on this soil are praised for their mineral like quality and are considered a finesse style from the Douro. Some of the oldest vines in the world grow on both the granite and xist soils. These vines are outstandingly robust and produce fruit with tremendous elegance and concentration.
For me, what makes the Douro so distinguishable is the amount of native varieties that are grown here. Portugal is home to 285 native varieties. Almost all can be found in the Douro. This gives winemakers a pallet of flavours, aromas and combinations from which to choose from. Portuguese flagships like Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz in the north and Aragonez in the south (both Tempranillo) are widespread and can be found readily around the world. Other grapes such as Rabigato and Tinta Amarela, more obscure grapes, also produce wines of excellence and more individuality. Wines from the Douro are truly a delight and something to try for the wine adventurer.
