Wineries In Douro Valley
The Douro is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of central Spain and into northern Portugal, to its mouth at Porto, the second-largest city of Portugal. At its mouth, it meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The river is notable for the scenic Douro railway line, tourism more generally, and – relatedly – the creation and production of a mildly fortified wine: port, grapes, conventional wines, and other agricultural produce. A small tributary of the river has the Côa Valley Paleolithic Art site which is considered important to the archaeological pre-historic patrimony, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Portugal has two wine-producing regions protected by UNESCO as World Heritage: the Douro Valley Wine Region (Douro Vinhateiro) and Pico Island Wine Region (Ilha do Pico Vinhateira). Portugal has a big variety of local kinds, producing a very wide variety of different wines with distinctive personality.
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1. Taylor’s Port
The wines of Quinta de Vargellas traditionally form the ‘backbone’ of the Taylor Vintage Port blend. This outstanding estate, recognised as one of the world’s finest vineyards, was acquired by Taylor’s in 1893 although its reputation as a source of the finest ports dates back to the 1820’s. Located in the remote eastern reaches of the Douro Valley, Vargellas is known for its elegant, scented wines, with their fine focused fruit and well integrated sinewy tannins. It is also known as a source of one of the rarest and most collectible vintage ports of all, Vargellas Vinha Velha, made in very small quantities from the produce of the oldest vines on the estate. The terraced plots containing the oldest vines on the property account for over 15% of the estate’s total production.
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2. Quinta do Noval
Quinta do Noval is an historic name with iconic status in the world of wine. But it is above all a vineyard. In the heart of the Douro Valley, great wines have been made in this place since the early 18th century. Known throughout the world for its Port wines, whether the Quinta do Noval Vintage Port made from a strict selection of the best wines from our 145 hectare vineyard, or the Quinta do Noval Nacional, extraordinary product of the tiny Nacional parcel at the heart of the property, or indeed our aged Tawny Ports and Colheitas, Quinta do Noval produces great wines that bear the stamp of their origin.
The subtle differences of aspect, climate and soil of the various parcels of this extensive vineyard give the wines of Noval complexity and depth that are unique to Quinta do Noval, whether we are making Port wines or unfortified red and white wines.
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3. W&J Graham’s Port
Graham’s has always been a pioneer. Graham’s was one of the first Port companies to invest in its own vineyards in Portugal’s Douro Valley in 1890 and is now at the cutting edge of innovation in winemaking techniques. Today, five Symington cousins share responsibility for every aspect of the company and personally make the Graham’s wines. They too have been involved with Port and the Douro for many generations, with ancestry dating back to the mid-17th century.e evolution of wine. These confidences found in each barrel, enhances the richness of our vines.
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