It takes time to discover the Douro Valley's many charms

Getting to the Douro Valley, is a must for wine lovers, who will soon discover that there is much to explore.  From discovering quintas, wines, the culinary scene, to spectacular drives through the Douro, a multifaceted approach is needed to reveal its charms. Returning spring 2023 allowed me the opportunity to return to places I visited earlier (October 2012, July 2016), plus explore new ones. Visitors are immediately struck by the stunning beauty of the oldest demarcated and regulated wine region in the world. This wine region was defined in 1756, and made a UNESCO World Heritage in 2001. Its terraced vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see, along the Douro River and its tributaries. The valley runs along the Douro River, from Spain to Porto (Oporto), on the Atlantic coast. For me, besides hanging out with my wine enthusiast friends, the Douro is one of the most amazing wine regions. What follows are a few insights into what this wine region has to offer. 

Travels in the Douro © Spaswinefood

That May day we so enjoyed the views as we descended into Pinhão.

 Welcome to the Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Taking in Douro Valley Views © Spaswinefood

We decided to stop and have a picnic lunch before checking into our hotel room at Quinta do Portal.

Picnic, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

View from Picnic Table, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Douro Valley Quintas

You will discover that the physical layout of the Douro Valley does not permit visiting many quintas in one day. In case you are wondering a Douro quinta is typically a wine producing estate, which can be a winery or a vineyard. 

Ventozelo Quinta © Spaswinefood

Douro is home to over 200 quintas.  Douro Valley quintas are so much fun to discover.  Most visitors to Portugal are likely to visit the port lodges in Porto (Oporto), and take a day trip to the Douro Valley. For those who want more authentic Douro Valley experience if you select to stay at a quinta, you will most likely get quality time. Let me note that Quinta do Portal was my doorway to this very special wine region.  October 2012 Quinta do Portal was where I was first introduced to the Douro Valley. This was followed by a summer visit to the Douro in 2016. Returning in 2023 meant experiencing the valley's vineyards in the spring time. We stayed at two quintas during our recent visit, Quinta do Portal and Quinta Manhas Douro.

Quinta do Portal

Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Return to Quinta do Portal, 2023 © Spaswinefood

Returning in 2023, my friend Carol and I, meant we could experience the vineyards in spring time.

Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

We so enjoyed those spring time walks.

Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Spring time meant the grapes were just starting to bud.

Spring Time Vines, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Grape Vines Starting to Bud, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Besides observing the vineyard we loved taking in the surrounding views.

Taking in the Views, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Of course we took advantage of posing in the vineyard.

Carol, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Spaswinefood Moments, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

We so enjoyed the vineyard in the late evening.  

Quinta do Portal Restaurant © Spaswinefood

We had the most fabulous breakfasts, toured the winery, and of course dined at the restaurant.

Dinner, Quinta do Portal Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Some how we managed to have two dinners at the restaurant during our stay.

When we toured the winery we discovered what the latest wine suggestions were.

Touring Quinta do Portal  Winery © Spaswinefood

Following Quinta do Portal our second accommodation was at Quinta Manhas Douro.

Quinta Manhas Douro

Before leaving the Douro Valley we stayed at Quinta Manhas Douro.  The Quinta is located not far from Pinhão, one of the main tourist destinations of the Douro region.

Quinta Manhas Douro © Spaswinefood

Taking in the Views, Quinta Manhas Douro © Spaswinefood

Quinta Manhãs Douro is located in Provesende, a small village in Sabrosa Municipality, on the Aldeias Vinhateiras route.  It is in the heart of Alto Douro Vinhateiro, UNESCO World Heritage.

Views from Quinta Manhas Douro © Spaswinefood

Church, Provesende © Spaswinefood

High in the Douro Valley, the tiny village of Provesende, gave us an impressive view of the valley, and a snapshot into vintage Portugal of yesterday. 

Given there are over 200 quintas there is no way to experience all of them however, besides staying at a quinta, you can also do a wine tasting, or dine at others.

Quinta do Pôpa

Quinta do Pôpa has been on my list for awhile. Over the years I have interacted with Stéphane Ferreira whose family owns Quinta do Pôpa. Returning spring 2023 to the Douro Valley with my friend Carol was the perfect opportunity for me to visit the Quinta do Pôpa for the first time. Every time I visit the Douro Valley I am immediately struck by its stunning beauty. Terraced vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see, along the Douro River and its tributaries. Off we went to Quinta do Pôpa in the heart of the Douro, in the hot and dry region of Cima Corgo, in Adorigo, Tabuaço county.

Quinta do Pôpa, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

We were blown away by the views at Quinta do Pôpa, and will the drive up and down, to the tasting room, not so much. For sure, after driving up, we relaxed and took our time. Special thanks to Carol for her excellent driving skills.

After taking in the sights at the top off we went to the tasting room.

Off to Quinta do Pôpa Tasting Room © Spaswinefood

The views from the tasting room are amazing, especially if you sit outside on the patio.

Outside Patio, Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

For lunch we ordered a cheese platter.

Cheese Platter, Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

We were introduced to each of the wines.

Quinta do Pôpa, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Quinta do Pôpa Wines, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

The Quinta do Pôpa wines in the tasting included, whites, reds and a vintage port. I appreciated the overview, and look forward to a more in-depth experience in the future. While wine tasting we have amazing views!

Patio Views, Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

Because of our timing we almost had the place to ourselves.

Taking in the Views at Pôpa © Spaswinefood

One could never tires of the views here.

Douro Valley Views from Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

More on Douro Valley Quintas

Fortunately during earlier Douro visits I have visited a number quintas (Quinta Do Panascal and Quinta Do Seixo). Our spring 2023 agenda had included a return visit to Quevedo's at Quinta Senhora Do Rosário. However, it was undergoing reconstruction however, we did manage to drive by the area. 

Exploring the Douro Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

It is hard to forget my July 2016 visit to Quevedo's at Quinta Senhora Do Rosário.

Quevedo, Douro Valley 2016 © Spaswinefood

While at Quevedo we were introduced to Quevedo and Covela wines. 

Tasting Quevedo and Covela Wines © Spaswinefood

In fact when we arrived at Quevedo we were welcomed with a refreshing Covela Rosé wine. 

Coeval Rosé 2015 © Spaswinefood

After a welcoming drink it was off to the Quevedo cellar for a quick look. Naturally, after a general overview Oscar poured us a few samples. Yes, we did some sampling from the wine barrels. In this case we did some Port wine sampling. Without a doubt wine sampling from Port wine barrels is so much more tempting for me than most wine barrels. Given that I had met Oscar at a number of prior wine events, it was rather special for me to finally visit with him at his family winery. 

Once back upstairs we continued to taste more Covela wines. One of the wines that I tasted was a Covela Edição Nacional Avesso 2013. 

Tasting Covela Wines © Spaswinefood

Covela Edição Nacional Avesso 2013 © Spaswinefood

The tasting of Quevedo and Covela wines continued over lunch. Lunch is always a gastronomic affair at such gatherings.

Lunch © Spaswinefood

Needless to say lunch was filled with many tasty dishes. 

Douro Valley Lunch © Spaswinefood

It was a stellar lunch with excellent wines. Besides the excellent Covela wines there was also some amazing Quevedo wines. One of the wines I tasted was Cláudia's wine. Here is how Quevedo described Cláudia's wine:

"Claudia’s wine is an expression of what Claudia, the winemaker together with Teresa, love most on each harvest. Claudia’s wine is a blend of grapes from different plots. They don’t follow the some (sic same) recipe every harvest as the vines don’t produce the same grapes every year. One thing we can assure, all our grapes are hand picked and treated as small treasures."

Quevedo Cláudia's 2013 © Spaswinefood

Quevedo also produce a wine called Oscar's wine, which I did not taste. However, let me not forget Quevedo's Port wines. I did taste an amazing Quevedo 30 Year Old White Port.

Quevedo 30 Year Old White Port © Spaswinefood

It was a heavenly just to taste this Quevedo 30 Year Old White Port wine.

Overall amongst the wines I tasted it was hard not to fall in love with Covela's Rosé and Quevedo's 30 Year Old White Port. 

Covela Rosé 2015 © Spaswinefood

Quevedo 30 Year Old White Port © Spaswinefood

I should not forget to say that I did admire seeing the Quevedo Port wines (Colheita, Tawny and Ruby).

Quevedo, Colheita  1996, 1997 and 2000 © Spaswinefood

Quevedo 40 Year Old Tawny Port © Spaswinefood

Quevedo Tawny and Ruby Port © Spaswinefood

As you can see we were treated royally by our hosts. Quevedo wines are available in the US from Naked Wines. Covela wines are also available in the US from David Bowler Wines.

It was indeed a delightfully hot July day in the Douro Valley when I last visited.

Swimmers, Douro Valley 2016 © Spaswinefood

Before leaving on such a hot day in July we took a dip in the Douro. It was a great way to cool down on a 38 degree Celsius day. Hot or not, no true wine enthusiast can get enough of the Douro. The Douro Valley port wines and its other wines sure leave a lasting impression. All to soon it was time to leave. The good news is that I traveled through the stunning valley views once more. Let me share a few photos of the breath taking views of Douro Valley.

Douro Valley Time, 2016 © Spaswinefood

Yes, those stunning views do get etched in your memory. 

Douro Valley Vineyards, 2016 © Spaswinefood

Douro offers many excellent dining options. Let's take a peek at one of culinary outings at a quinta last May.

Culinary Explorations

For sure we enjoyed those drives through the Douro Valley, which  included a few culinary explorations along the way. One of the highlights of our culinary explorations took us to Cozinha da Clara Restaurant at Quinta de la Rosa.

River View, Quinta de la Rosa © Spaswinefood

Cozinha da Clara Restaurant 

Our spring time travels took us to Cozinha da Clara Restaurant at Quinta de la Rosa. Quinta de la Rosa, with around 1,400 acres, is one of Douro's most famous estates because of its views and river-facing location. It has an amazing restaurant, located right on the Douro  River with fabulous views. 

Cozinha da Clara Restaurant, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

It was here we had the most fabulous lunch with a wine flight of course.

Quinta De La Rosa Wines, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant  © Spaswinefood

We were most fortunately it was late May. Not only were we lucky, to get a table but, we got one overlooking the river.

By the River, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Needless to say, we made the most of our dining experience.

Lunching by the River © Spaswinefood

We sure loved those riverside views while dining.

River Views of the Douro Spaswinefood

Tourist Boat & River Views  © Spaswinefood

After adjusting to the setting, we were ready for a wine flight.

Time for Wine © Spaswinefood

Wine Flight © Spaswinefood

Quinita De La Rosa Wine Flight © Spaswinefood

Quinita De La Rosa Wine in the Glasses © Spaswinefood

We enjoy our lunch that day.

Squash Soup, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Barley Soup, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Meat Plate, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Mushroom Dish, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Sitting there, enjoying the views with a delicious lunch at Cozinha da Clara Restaurant was beyond awesome.

Taking In the River Views, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Views to the Back, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Lunch, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Taking in those views, over lunch was pure delight.

Douro Views by the River, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

River View, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Clouds & River View, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

 Cloud Reflections, Cozinha da Clara Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Dining at Cozinha da Clara Restaurant was a very special treat. After lunch we would continue on our way back to our accommodations at Quinta Manhas Douro.

Throughout our stay we learned to appreciate those ever changing views across the valleys in late May.

Vilarinho de São Romão © Spaswinefood

Whenever you are in the beautiful Douro Valley one naturally has to pose for a picture, even if you are not into selfies. After all, who can resist such stunning backdrops for a pose.

Hello Douro, Right Pose, 2016 © Spaswinefood

A Few More Highlights 

During our 2023 Douro Valley visit we ventured out and explored along the wine route.

Ruta do Vinho do Porto, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

We sure enjoyed those Douro Valley drives. The roads maybe curvy and narrow however, the views of the vineyards are spetcualar.

Douro Valley Vineyards © Spaswinefood

Vineyard Views, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Those daily drives would always took us through Pinhão.

Pinhão, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

We so enjoyed viewing both sides of the river as we explored the Douro.

Douro Valley Qunitas Along the River © Spaswinefood

Douro Valley Quintas © Spaswinefood

I never tire of making discoveries in the Douro.

Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Discovering quintas, like Quinta Ventozelo during our travels is always a bonus.

Ventozelo Quinta © Spaswinefood

Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta © Spaswinefood

 Might I say, for this wine enthusiast, no trip to Portugal is complete, without at least a trip to the Douro. I am happy to say that my recent adventures in Portugal included the Douro Valley. Without a doubt, returning to the Douro Valley was an highlight. The Douro Valley wines is a must for wine lovers, especially if the wine lover appreciates learning about port and the other great wines produced in this region. It takes time to discover the Douro Valley's many charms. I invite you to join me in my wine travels in Portugal and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Twitter and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on my vine-filled explorations in Portugal. 

CHEERS!

Sharon 

May 2023

Douro Valley, Portugal 

© Spaswinefood

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Hello Douro, Left Pose © Spaswinefood

Special thanks to Carol for her driving skills!

Thanks Carol, Douro Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

#spaswinefood travels in Portugal

NOTE: Since most Douro Valley visitors will likely also visit Porto, I must note that while in Porto the port lodges in the historic Vila Nova de Gaia are a must visit. It is hard to pass up a tasting of Port wines at places, like Taylor's Port Lodge at the top of the Gaia hillside overlooking Porto. Moreover, the view from there is absolutely majestic.

View from Taylor's Port Lodge © Spaswinefood

If time permits take a walk down the hill towards the Douro River waterfront. There you will find the other well-known port lodges, such as Sandeman's. I still remember visiting Sandeman's Quinta do Seixo  in the Duoro Valley during an earlier visit. 

Douro Valley, Portugal © Spaswinefood

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