Duero (Spanish Duero), Douro (port. Douro), Dury (lat. Durius) is a river that originates in Spain and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal. One of the largest rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, the total length is 897 km.

Duero flows in Spain through the provinces of Soria, Burgos, Valladolid, Zamora and Salamanca. It crosses the border at Miranda do Douro and then flows through the territory of Portugal under the name Douro. The double name of the river, as a rule, is reflected on geographical maps.

In 2001, UNESCO declared the Alto Douro wine region on the upper Douro a World Heritage Site. The Douro region owes its fame and fame to the whole world to the replaced Port wine. The word "port wine" comes from the name of one of the main ports of Portugal - Porto.

The history of port wine began in the XI century, when Henry II of Burgundy, who earned fame in battles with the Moors on behalf of Alfonso VI, King of Castile and Leon, married the daughter of the latter. As a dowry, he was given the county of Portucale, where he grafted vines or partially replaced local vines left over from the time of Roman rule with those brought from his native Burgundy.

The bitterness of the British, still suffering from the loss of Aquitaine and the ban imposed by the French government of Colbert on English exports to France, prompted England to stop importing wines from Bordeaux in favor of wines from the Douro Valley.

In 1703, the British and Portuguese signed the Metuan Trade Agreement, which guaranteed preferential import customs tariffs for Portuguese wines. At that time, Douro wines were only red, coarse and highly acidic with an alcohol content of 12-13°. They also did not tolerate long sea transportation. But due to chance, there was a qualitative leap in the “wine” issue: someone came up with the idea of ​​stabilizing the transported wines by adding brandy. The next step was to add brandy as part of the production process.

Until about 1756, "old technologies" of production operated in Portugal - this is the addition of a small amount of brandy to dry wine. As mentioned above, this was done only to reduce the loss of this delicate product during the sea transport of wines. The port that is known now was created after 1820, when a new technology for the production of this wine was formed, based on interrupting the fermentation of grape must precisely in order to preserve residual sugar in it. This technology became widespread among the producers of Douro after 1852, when the style of port was finally formed.

Port wine can be drunk both at the beginning and at the end of a meal; it goes well with almost any dish: it is good for spicy and salty snacks, roasted nuts, coffee, chocolate, candied fruits, and best of all - with Stilton and other "blue" cheeses. Natural allies of port are any desserts based on berries and a variety of fruits with a bright taste.

Port wine is served in a special decanter or glass for port wine, which has a tulip shape, with a capacity of 250 to 750 ml, since a thick sediment characteristic of this wine is kept on the walls of the bottle. For the same reason, a bottle of port wine is “prepared” for serving - it is kept upright from a day to a week, depending on the exposure. Connoisseurs never cork a bottle again - the cork is removed from the bottle once and for all. The glass is filled to half, so that the wine "gives away" its aromas. Red port wine is served at a temperature of +18 °C, and white - at +10...12 °C. Bottles of old port that have sediment should stand upright for about 24 hours before opening and then decant into a decanter using a funnel.

By the smell of cork, a good specialist can determine how much this or that port wine corresponds to its name, whether it has deteriorated after lying in the cellar for many years. As a rule, storage conditions do not allow port wine to deteriorate, so examining the cork is nothing more than a time-honored ritual. The first ritual is followed by the second: a bottle of port wine is placed on a special stand, from where the port wine is poured into the tasting bowl. This bowl is an essential accessory for any port wine expert. Taking a test sip, he pours a few drops of port wine into a decanter: in professional terms, "washes him." After that, the port wine is decanted, that is, poured into a decanter, from which it is already poured into glasses. Before you taste the exquisite vintage, you need to give it 15-20 minutes to “breathe”, and only after that you can take the first sip.

City of Porto

Back in 2002, we went to the city of Porto in the north of Portugal. And to go to Porto and not visit the cellars with old brands of port, it's like being in Rome and not seeing the Pope. Although, it is much easier to arrange a meeting with port wine than with the Pope. And I think it's much nicer.

Visiting the cellars with pot wine

First of all, we went to the cellars. They are not located in Porto itself, but on the opposite bank of the Douro River, in the town of Vila Nova de Gaia, from where, by the way, a very picturesque view of the Porto embankment opens from the other side. There you can also see traditional boats called "barcos rabelos" (barcos rabelos), which in ancient times transported barrels of port from the vineyards to the cellars. This was done in order to create wine conditions with the least temperature difference, since in summer it becomes unbearably hot in the Douro Valley.

Porto - waterfront view

Some of these boats are converted into tourist boats and make trips along the Douro River of various durations and costs (from 10 to 125 euros). We rode one of them, but more on that later.

So, we went to the cellars of the Offley firm, which was established in 1737 by William Offley. The company achieved its greatest success under the direction of James Forrester, one of the most significant characters in the history of port wine. He was an excellent businessman, oenologist and excellent taster. And what is most interesting, he loved Dora, he even learned Portuguese. It was said of him that “he walked the Douro”, that is, unlike other port wine merchants who lived exclusively in Porto and went to the vineyards only at harvest time, Forrester spent most of his time on kints, knew all the nooks and crannies Douro. He. It was he who owns the first maps of the region, published in 1848.

Returning to our cellars, we were first taken on a tour (excursions, unfortunately, are not available in Russian, so you will have to be content with English, German or French), they talked about the production technology of different types of ports, about the differences in the styles of Ruby e Tawny, long, dark and quiet halls, where port wines doze and infuse in barrels. At the end of the tour, we had a small tasting of Ruby, Tawny and white port wine. You can also buy your favorite drinks here.

Happy and cheered up from the tasting, I went out into the street, feeling like a major specialist in port wine. It was the first time in my life when I realized how complex classification and hierarchy there is for a drink with the same name - Vinho do Porto (Vinho do Porto), which literally means "Wine from Porto".

This naming is connected with the fact that in the 18th and 19th centuries it was possible to export port wine only from the City of Porto, so the name stuck.

Offley wine cellars

Walk along the river Douro

The next day we decided to take a boat ride on the river. The boat departed from Vila Nova de Gaia, slowly moving along the waters of the Douro and allowing a group of tourists (including us) to admire the shores with vineyards. Lunch was served on board, accompanied by wines from the visited region, which ended with a glass of porto.

Lunch was served here

Upon arrival in Regua, we were to visit the Castelinho winery and taste the ports produced by it.

Upon arrival in Regua

By the way, the ports of this manufacturer can be bought in Moscow. Last year, at the international competition in Moscow “Wine Card Open”, Quinta do Castelinho port wine (10 years of aging in oak) received a gold medal and Quinta do Castelinho port wine - silver.

We returned to Porto by bus at the end of the day.

Helpful information

River trips and cruises

The easiest and fastest cruise is the 50-minute Douro cruise for 10 euros, during which you can admire the six bridges over the Douro River. There are also half-day cruises with lunch or dinner. You can go for a weekend or spend a whole week climbing the Douro to the very border with Spain.

In my opinion, the most breathtaking landscapes can be seen on the road from Régua to Pinhau.

If you have any questions about the order and the cost of the most suitable programs for you, please contact me, I will advise where they can be ordered.

wine cellars

Visits to the Offley cellars: from March to October every day from 11:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 18:30.

You can not be limited to visiting one cellar, but go to several belonging to different companies. But in general, I think you will not gain much from this: the information will be approximately the same everywhere. Well, unless you taste enough.

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A trip to the Douro Valley is suitable for those who want to enjoy the emerald landscapes, taste fragrant port wine, visit the palace with a magnificent garden and get in touch with local household and religious traditions. Is it about you? Then let's go!

The tour starts around 8:00. I pick you up from your hotel, we drive to the city of Amarante, drink coffee with regional sweets and visit the church of the venerated Saint Gonçalo. Thanks to this saint, the city was built and gained popularity. Goncalo is the patron saint of marriage and fertility, and thousands of those who seek help come to his tombstone every year.

Our journey continues along the most beautiful road in Portugal - along the Douro River. I tell you about the history of port, its styles and winemaking in the Douro Valley. On the way to the family estate of eighth generation winemakers, we can stop by one of the largest producers of port wine and taste the famous vintages. In the town of Piñao, we will see a small train station decorated with azulejo panels.

Arriving at the winery, you will meet a family of winemakers, dine in an 18th century house with homemade Portuguese cuisine, see how port wine is made and taste this wonderful drink.

The next point of our trip is the Mateus Palace. This house was commissioned by the Portuguese count in the middle of the 18th century by the Italian architect Nasoni. The architect Nasoni was involved in the reconstruction and construction of many structures in Portugal. He created the highest tower in Portugal and the church adjacent to it - Clerigos in Porto. Mateus Palace is famous not only for its baroque building, but also for its beautiful garden with a cedar tunnel.

After looking at the life of the Portuguese aristocracy, on the way back to Porto we stop at a traditional Portuguese village, and you get acquainted with the life of ordinary peasants. The houses in the village have remained unchanged since the beginning of the last century. Approximately the same masonry was used by the Celtic tribes who lived on the territory of present-day Portugal about 2000 years ago. And typical granaries and rural laundries have been used by the Portuguese for hundreds of years.

During the tour, I will be happy to take a picture of you with your camera for free.

In the Douro Valley I have many options for itineraries depending on your preference.

In addition to the tour, you can order a photo session.

A home-cooked quinte dinner usually includes a main course of meat, usually pork. This traditional cuisine north of Portugal. If you have special food preferences, please let us know in advance. In this case, we will adjust the route and stop at a cafe along the way so that you can choose what you want.

What is included

At a cost of 150 EUR - only guide services, up to 6 people in your car.

At a cost of 250 EUR - guide services and transportation costs - up to 3 people (Opel Corsa car 3 doors, gasoline, toll roads, parking lots).

At a cost of 320 EUR - guide services and transportation costs - up to 6 people (Volkswagen Touran 2007 1.9TDI, gasoline, toll roads, parking lots).

What is not included

• lunch at the winery lunch - 20 EUR (appetizers, main course, sparkling wine, red or white wine to choose from, dessert, coffee),
• tastings (from 7.50 EUR/person),
• entrance ticket to the Mateus Palace (8.50 EUR - only the garden and the building outside).

Helpful information

If you have motion sickness, write to me in advance, I will take herbal remedies for motion sickness on the road.

In autumn we traveled in Portugal and stopped for two days in Porto. One of the most interesting and popular excursions in Porto is a boat trip on the Douro River. We decided to go to it in the evening, the very last flight, to admire the sunset. Unfortunately, the last boat leaves a little earlier, so we saw off the sunset on our return from the tour, but I still highly recommend the evening walk. Porto is very good in soft light, when the sun is already low enough. Boats depart from both sides of the Douro: from Porto and from Vila Nova de Gaia. We set off from the Gaia promenade.

Prices, as we understood, for such excursions are the same everywhere, tickets can be bought from barkers on the waterfront. The cost is 12 euros. Our tickets came with two coupons for a free port wine tasting in one of the wine cellars, which we did not fail to use the next day. The ships are small, for fifteen or twenty people, the places are not fixed. My husband and I were the very last to depart, we got seats in the last row, but they did not seem worse to us than the rest. I want to note that in the evening a fairly fresh wind blows from the ocean, so for a comfortable trip you need to take something warm. We were in September, I put on a raincoat and a light cotton scarf. We really liked the walk itself, we saw all the bridges of Porto, looked at the city and wine cellars from the water,
and the culmination of the hour-long journey was the meeting of the river and the ocean.