Douro Valley & Port Wine

Thanks to a recommendation from SYK Backpacks and Flipflops our first stop in the Douro Valley is at this lovely family winery Quinta de Marrocos in Peso da Regua.

Suffice it to say that we were pampered in every way here and thoroughly enjoyed our stay from the welcome glass of port to the personal tour of the winery, to a fabulous dinner and port tasting.  We were told to wander the house and grounds as if it were our home and two dogs were just as eager to make us feel at home.  The antiques and decor throughout the home spoke of the family's gratitude to the past; their passion for making fine port and their commitment to future generations of port and winemakers.

We made the most of the lovely patio in full sun and stunning views:

In the hillside photos on the top row (above) you can see lines of trees.  The farmers plant olive trees to mark the boundaries of their land.  As an appetizer, we enjoyed the Marrocos olives well-aged in garlic and other seasonings.  I'm stretched out enjoying a glass of wine.  The train comes up the valley a few times a day and river cruise boats are coming to small villages of the Douro in greater numbers and frequency all the time.

The photos above give a small glimpse of the villa structure and the decor.  This winery started out in the 17th. century as a Franciscan monastery, but now is one of the oldest estates in the Douro and has produced award-winning wine and port over four generations.  Ourselves and one other couple are served a multi-course meal, each serving more delicious than the last.  Then the port tasting.

These words are with us now forever - the four types of port:

The dogs can hardly wait to show us the vineyards:

These terraces (a UNESCO World Heritage) are at a 30%+ gradient.  I can hardly manage them on my own, while male workers carry baskets heavily laden with ripe grapes down to a lower level.  So much that you see here is made of schist, a slate-like rock: the house, the dry stone walls that define the terraces, the stairs, the support posts for the vines.  The schist is integral to the soil and the nutrition of the vines.  The narrow paths between the rows of vines are for the women to walk while snipping the grapes at harvest time.  The two cypress trees are each 400 years old, planted by the Franciscans at the start of the monastery.

Most of the business of the winery is hidden from view in a rock storage room under one of the buildings.  

The barrels above are over 100 years old.  The tank lined in red is where the grapes are crushed with feet.  This avoids breaking open the seeds which would change the character of the final product.  We are invited to return in September to see if we can crush grapes for 3 hours at a time.  The cement tanks on the right photo are used to store the must (freshly crushed grapes, juice, seeds, skins and stems).  

Everything here is done by hand, as it has been done for two thousand years.

The grape presses top left are not used (only feet).  Each cork is put into place with a rubber mallet, each label applied by hand and for the 20, 30 and 40-year-old ports, a wax seal is also applied by hand.  

After a satisfying breakfast and heartfelt goodbyes, it's into town to catch the train to Pinhao (the geographical centre of the Douro) where we will spend 2 nights.

The history of Pinhao is told in the azulejo tiles on the outside of the station.  The friezes above are just a few in the story.

Senora Maria welcomes us into her home which is 2+ km straight up from town.  She has no English words but recognizes our few Spanish words.  She is a traditional Portuguese avo (grandmother) and takes care of our every need.  She is more than generous adding to our dinner meal in her kitchen and supplying a traditional breakfast each day.  Our bedroom has a balcony with a view of the Douro:

Walking down into town from Senora Maria's home are these little stone dwellings:

The calm, sunny day is perfect for a 2-hour Rabelo ride on the Douro.  The landscaping, terraces, Quintas and geometrical designs of the planting are breath-taking from the water.

The men in the bottom left photo above are making a dry stack slate wall.  Trees could be olive or almond.  The bridge is one of a few ancient Roman ones on the Douro.

Random Photos from Pinhao and the boat ride on the Douro:

The tile portrait above reminds me of some of the clothing worn by First Nations peoples in British Columbia.

Pinhao is a peaceful little village with friendly locals.  It took us a bit to get used to local customs.  Nothing opens early; restaurants close about 2 pm and don't open again until 7 pm.  Maria gifts Paul with a bottle of port on our departure.

Random Photos from Pinhao:

Ponta Romana

Concrete storage for the wineries - about a dozen on the waterfront

Restored Renault 

We're back in Porto out by the airport in Maia so that we can fly to Bilbao, Spain.  The host (Mike) of Coffee Cream Guesthouse is incredible.  He made us warm ham and cheese sandwiches, followed by cookies on our arrival.  His kitchen is well stocked with all kinds of food, help yourself and we drink wine with him in the evening.

We enjoyed everything about Portugal and realize there are so many places that we didn't have time to see with this quick month-long visit.  For starters, there's the Azores; Madeira, Aveiro (the Venice of Portugal), Sintra and .....

PORTO, Portugal

Unlike Lisbon which was 85% destroyed, Porto on the Douro River was untouched by the earthquake of 1755.

Here there is no compactness, no frugality of more modern city planning and architecture.  Here the streets and plazas are open and sweeping.  Buildings are from a time when size and grandeur mattered to the families who became wealthy from industries related to wine, port, shipbuilding, textiles and trade.

Here is a place where thoughts and imagination can soar.  Indeed, Porto became a place where writers and poets came to live and was recognized as a place where important strides in civil rights were made.

For a time, this 'City of Bridges' was the capital of Portugal and as recently as 2001 was awarded the title of the cultural capital of Europe.

Today Porto's historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

City Hall

The Sao Bento train station (formerly the convent of Sao Bento de Ava Maria) is one of our first stops to plan a visit to the Douro Valley.  

The azulejo tilework inside this building is as fantastic as everything we've read about it.  The 20,000+ tiles were done by a master tile-painter of the time.  Many pieces reflect important moments in Portuguese history, others depict tranquil country life and still, others document forms of transportation used by the Portuguese people... 

Another example is this church with a tiled exterior:

To see and learn more about this tile work: from the website of Culture Trip

The Porto waterfront (Riberia area) is a great place to be even on a cold, rainy spring day.  Colourful homes tumble down the slopes.  Places abound to savour food or drink and have a rest.  Boat watching is always interesting.  We are surprised to see big river cruise boats tied up on the other side. 

To get across the Douro River to the Gaia side we climb up to the Louis I bridge for pedestrians and Metro only.

Looking down from atop the bridge:

In the past, port wine made in the Douro Valley was put into barrels, loaded onto Rabelo boats (like the ones pictured below) to be transported to Villa Nova de Gaia where it was aged and stored.  Today many wineries age, store and ship their own wine.

The story of the Rabelo is fascinating.  It took about a dozen skilled sailors to get each flat-bottomed boat down the stormy Douro.  The sailors had to stand on a wooden platform to steer the boat and spot obstacles in the river.  

Once the precious cargo was delivered, going back with empty barrels was tricky too.  Animals (sometimes humans) walking the towpath along the river pulled the Rabelo along while sailors used iron rods to push off of rocks.

Closely-spaced poles with metal flags each bearing the names of a port wine company here line part of the riverbank...so many that the camera cannot capture them.

The Gaia side of the river is as lovely to walk as the Porto side.  By the river is a huge indoor market.  All of the eateries are full and you can barely move for the shoppers.  We buy some olives and beans for snacking.

Market Entrance

What else to do on the third day of rain but head to the famous bookstore (Livraria Lello) that inspired the library in the Harry Potter movies.  The lineup even in the pouring rain is long, the admission fee ridiculous and the crowded interior impossible.

Under the stairs

We are glad at the end of the day to return to our hostel.  The StayIN Oporto Musica Guest Apartment has huge bedrooms, a cozy living room with warm throw blankets to wrap up in, free coffee and hot chocolate, large shared dining tables, a smallish kitchen and hot showers.  There is always someone to visit with.

Our final day in Porto looks like all the others: cool, gray, windy and rainy with very brief periods of sun, but we hop the train for an hour ride to Guimaraes.  We look forward to seeing all the medieval buildings and its charming old town.  

Five minutes into our explorations and the skies open up.  Our pants are instantly soaked hem to the knee and we seek refuge in a cafe.  

Fortified with chocolate croissants we head to the Dukes of Braganca Palace.  In Vila Vicosa we visited the King's (Braganca) Palace.  The family lived in the north first, then moved south.  

The Palace is as grand as one might expect with great dining halls, an armoury room, private quarters and bedrooms, huge fireplaces and tapestries, treasures from around the world.

Looking at Palace from Castle

The next 2 photos are of the Great Room.  Imagine the dinner parties here.

Just a few of the many rooms:

Handcrafted furniture:

In the armoury:

St. Michael's, a small, simple Romanesque church on the grounds of the palace is supposedly where the first king of Portugal was baptized.  The floor is lined with gravestones that have either religious or military engravings on them.

Random photos in the Palace:

A large and old chestnut tree fell on the grounds of the palace.  It was decided to hire an artist to create an art installation from this tree to be displayed in the palace.  He created a long line of pieces of the trunk with engraving around the diameter and various sized holes in different places:

The Guimaraes Castle, like most, is a military fortification built in the 10th. century to defend the monastery from attacks by Moors and Norsemen.

Random Photos from Guimaraes:

In Porto's Future:

Due to open in 2020, the Fladgate Partnership is building 'The World of Wine' which will house three museums.  One on the history of Port, one on the cork industry and a fashion and design museum to showcase the textile industries of this part of Portugal.  There will be a wine school, a slow food restaurant, an events space, room for 9 more restaurants and a retail area.

In Our Future: on to the Douro Valley.  The first stop is a Quinta recommended by the Konars.  You can follow their adventures here: Backpacks and Flipflops

Random Photos from Porto:

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