Return to Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley

Returning spring 2023 to the Douro Valley allowed me to revisit some Quintas. For me it was a great opportunity to return to Quinta do Portal. I first visited it in October 2012. Let me note that Qunita do Portal was my doorway to a very special wine region, Portugal's Douro Valley. The Douro Valley, is a must for wine lovers. October 2012 this was where John and I were first introduced to the Douro Valley.

Return to Quinta do Portal, 2023 © Spaswinefood

Quinta do Portal 

Most visitors to Portugal are likely to visit the port lodges in Porto (Oporto). Spaswinefood's recommendation is start first in the Douro Valley. We have all experienced going to a large winery and having a programed tasting. While this can happen in the Douro Valley if you select a quinta, such Quinta do Portal it will not. You will get quality time. In fact if you stay at the quinta you can arrange to spend some time with the winemaker.

Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley, 2023 © Spaswinefood

Welcome to Quinta do Portal, 2023 © Spaswinefood

I still remember that earlier fall visit in 2012.

It was October, just after the harvest, when we visited Quinta do Portal, a boutique winery in the Douro Valley. It was so much fun to stay at a quinta (or vineyard) where the grapes are grown and the wine is produced. In fact staying at a Douro Valley quinta was the perfect place for this Spaswinefood enthusiast. Quinta do Portal offers great accommodations (Casa das Pipas) and there is a gourmet restaurant right on the property. Moreover, little did we know when we booked Quinta do Portal that we would get to spend quality time with winemaker, Paulo Coutinho. 

Quinta do Portal's Casa das Pipas, 2012 © Spaswinefood

Needless to say while at Quinta do Portal we enjoyed great food and wines and fabulous hospitality. (Spaswinefood, Fall 2012)

Return to Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

The Return

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 views.

Taking in the Views, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

We took advantage of posing in the vineyard.

Carol, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Spaswinefood Moments, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

We so enjoyed those vineyard walks.  

Quinta do Portal Restaurant © Spaswinefood

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

Quinta do Portal Restaurant © Spaswinefood

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

Yes, we toured the winery to find out what the latest wine suggestions were.

Touring Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

We so enjoyed our stay at Quinta do Portal. Without a doubt, returning to the Douro Valley was an highlight of my 2023 wine travels in Portugal. For me, besides hanging out with wine enthusiast friends, it was perfect timing to be in the Douro. 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. 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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Spaswinefood, Quinta do Portal 2023 © Spaswinefood

Remembering October 2012

It was October, just after the harvest, when we visited Quinta do Portal, a boutique winery in the Douro Valley. It was so much fun to stay at a quinta (or vineyard) where the grapes are grown and the wine is produced. In fact staying at a Douro Valley quinta was the perfect place for this Spaswinefood enthusiast. Quinta do Portal offers great accommodations (Casa das Pipas) and there is a gourmet restaurant right on the property. Moreover, little did we know when we booked Quinta do Portal that we would get to spend quality time with winemaker, Paulo Coutinho. During our stay we (1) dined with Quinta do Portal wines, (2) engaged in wine conversations and (3) toured the winery. Quinta do Portal also made appointments for us to explore other Douro Valley quintas, such as Sandeman's Quinta do Seixo and Froncesca's Quinta do Panascal. Quinta do Portal was our doorway to discovering Douro wines.

Quinta do Portal's Casa das Pipas, 2012 © Spaswinefood

Needless to say while at Quinta do Portal we enjoyed great food and wines and fabulous hospitality. Now a few highlights from our Quinta do Portal wine experience.

Discovering Quinta do Portal Wines

We totally enjoyed our dining experiences at Quinta do Portal. Chef Milton Ferriera prepared gourmet meals that were paired with wines selected by winemaker, Paulo Continho. Quinta do Portal is know for its wine blends. It was also a great opportunity to get to know Douro Valley wines. Sure Spaswinefood had come for the port but learning about other Douro Valley wines was also exciting. Here are some of the Quinta do Portal wines that we were introduced to during our stay:

White Wine

We often started a meal with Quinta do Portal's  white wine, Colheita Branco DOC 2006. Colheita Branca is a blend of Rabigato, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Viosinho and Moscatel. 

Rosé Wine

We were introduced to Quinta do Portal's Colheita Rosé DOC. Quinta do Portal's Colheita Rosé DOC is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca.

Quinta do Portal Colheita Rosé DOC © Spaswinefood

Red Wine

Quinta do Portal makes some amazing red wines. During our stay we sampled quite a few of their reds. Also during our winery tour we tasted red wines and ports.

Wine tasting at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Moscatel and Late Harvest Wines

Quinta do Portal's Moscatel and Late Harvest wines were a special treat at desert time.

Quinta do Portal Late Harvest 2004 © Spaswinefood

The Muscatels were a pleasant surprise for me.

Quinta do Portal Moscatel and Moscatel Reserva  © Spaswinefood

Quinta do Portal Moscatel Reserva (on the left) © Spaswinefood

Port Wine

No Douro Valley dining experience is complete without some port and desert. We enjoyed the following:

1. Quinta do Portal Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003 and Vintage Port 2003 

2. Quinta do Portal Extra Dry White Port and 10 Year Old Tawny Port 

3.  Quinta do Portal Porto Alegre 20 Year Old Tawny Port 

Quinta do Portal Porto Alegre 20 Year Old Tawny Port © Spaswinefood

4.Quinta do Portal Vintage Port 1995

Wine Conversations

During our stay we interacted with the winemaker over dinner and sometimes we talked after dinner. Often these conversations centered around the wines. Sure, some of the conversations focused on port but there were other wonderful wine discoveries.

Dining at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Dining at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Discovering a Potential Vintage Port

I remember an evening when we tasted a special port. For me it was an introduction to what makes a vintage port. Paulo offered a small group of us a number of ports to taste. Then he asked us the age of one port that we tasted. Of course I guessed and was absolutely wrong, except about the port's potential. Something about that port tasted very special to me. The port was only one week old. It was an amazing discovery of how potential vintage ports can be identified so young. Only time will tell if this port ages well enough to become a vintage.

Tasting a potential vintage port at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Touring the Winery and Tasting

One afternoon we had a special tour and tasting lead by Paulo. We began first with a tour of the winery. We started in the area with the grapes are crushed.

We checked out some fermenting grapes. Mid-October is just after the harvest and so there was lots to see.

Spaswinefood, Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Onto the lab where we tasted some samples from the tanks.

Touring Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

The barrel room was our next stop.

Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

After the winery tour we sat down with Paulo to taste some red wines and ports.

Wine tasting at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

Wine Tasting at Quinta do Portal © Spaswinefood

The Red Wines
Paulo had carefully selected some wines for us to taste. We tasted the following red wines:

1. Quinta do Portal 2010 Colheita Tinto, a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca

2. Quinta do Portal 2009 Reserva, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca

3. Quinta do Portal 2007 Grand Reserva, blend is mainly Touriga Nacional

4. Quinta do Portal 2009 Touriga Nacional, blend of the Douro's top varietal, Touriga Nacional

From the red wines the 2007 Grand Reserva and 2009 Touriga Nacional hit high marks for me.

The Ports

We did a side-by-side tasting of:

1. Quinta do Portal 2000 Porto Colheita and

2. Quinta do Portal 20 Year-Old Tawny

Then we did another side-by-side tasting of:

1. Quinta do Portal 2007 Late Bottled Vintage

2. Quinta do Portal 2009 Vintage

Amongst the ports who would not love the finish on the 20 Year-Old Tawny Port. Then the 2009 Vintage Port was my favorite.

Quinta do Portal is where you get quality time with the winemaker and an opportunity to learn about the wines. Staying at Quinta do Portal made our wine visit to the Douro Valley, Portugal super special. Spaswinefood was certainly excited to have visited the Douro Valley. I am so looking forward to more tasting and learning about all things port and Douro Valley wines. You will find more on my travels in Portugal and elsewhere at Spaswinefood. 

Sharon

October 2012

Douro Valley, Portugal

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NOTE: Paulo Coutinho, winemaker at Quinta do Portal, now produces his own wines.

See: https://paulocoutinho.wine

Douro's Quinta do Pôpa: Home to fabulous wines and views

Portugal's 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.

Off to Quinta do Pôpa

Quinta do Pôpa, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

The Quinta de Pôpa story began with the dream of Francisco Ferreira (known as Pôpa) and his maid, Joaquina Ferreira. He married Filomena with whom he had three children. A generation later, his son Zeca fulfilled his father’s dream by, in 2003 buying Quinta do Vidiedo. He named it Quinta do Pôpa as a tribute to his father. Zeca’s hard work for many years resulted in recognition in the Douro region. His friend Luís Pato, a Bairrada oenologist, and a lover of the Douro, offered his technical knowledge to the family. Pato has challenged the third generation Pôpa to expand the dream. Stéphane and his sister, Vanessa are taking leadership in fulfilling that dream.

The View Backdown, Quinta do Pôpa © 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.

Carol, Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

#Winelover, Quinta do Pôpa © Spaswinefood

For sure we posed for a few photos while quickly surveying the vineyards. Vineyards here consist of the noble grape varieties Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cao, Sousao, Malvasia Preta, and large percentage of Touriga Nacional. A property of 30 hectares, 14 of which are under vine, with 4 hectares of old vineyard over 80 years old, and with more than 22 types of vine varieties.

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

Home to Fabulous Wines and Views

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

Let's take a closer look at the wines.

Quinta do Pôpa Wines, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

The Quinta do Pôpa wines in the tasting included, whites, reds and a vintage port.

Tasting Quinta do Pôpa Wines © Spaswinefood

A white wine that I tasted was a Pôpa Branco.

Quinta do Pôpa,  Pôpa Branco © Spaswinefood

This was followed by the reds,  2018 Pôpa Black Edition, 2017 Pôpa Vinhas Velas (Old Vine), and 2017 Pôpa 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. There was a couple enjoying a picnic lunch.

Picnic at Pôpa © Spaswinefood

One could never tires of the views here.

Douro Valley Views © Spaswinefood

Taking in Douro Valley Views © Spaswinefood

Yes, from here you can see the day trippers enjoying the views below.

Day Triping, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Before leaving we took another look at the vineyards.

Douro Valley's Quinta do Pôpa Vineyards © Spaswinefood

Then checking the road below below heading down.

Time to Descend into Douro Valley © Spaswinefood

Special thanks to Carol for her driving skills!

Thanks Carol, Douro Valley, 2023 © Spaswinefood

It has been such a pleasure for me to get to know Quinta do Popa over the years. Without a doubt, returning to the Douro Valley was an highlight of my 2023 wine travels in Portugal. For me, besides hanging out with wine enthusiast friends, it was perfect timing to be in the Douro. The Douro Valley wines is a must for wine lovers, especially if the wine lover appreciates learning about port, and other great wines produced in this region. 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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Quinta do Pôpa Wines, San Francisco, May 2014

We were among the Californian wine enthusiasts who attended the Annual Grand Tasting of Wines of Portugal in San Francisco l.  Our tasting was wines from a family winery, Quinta do Pôpa. Quinta do Pôpa is winery located in the Douro Valley. While the Douro Valley is know for its port Quinta do Pôpa chooses instead to produce quality red, white and rosé wines from the grapes grown in their vineyard.

Stephané Ferreira, Quinta do Pôpa, 2014 © Spaswinefood

We were happy to meet Stephané Ferreira from Quinta do Pôpa. Quinta do Pôpa is located in Tabuaco, Douro Valley. While we had meet Stephané Ferreira before, it was time to take a closer look at Quinta do Pôpa wines. The vinification of Quinta do Pôpa wines is under the direction of the well known oenologist Luís Pato. Quinta do Pôpa offers five tiers of wines (Pôpa, Pôpa Doce, TRePA/PAPO, Preffácio and Contos da Terra. During that re-introduction to Quinta do Pôpa wines at the San Francisco tasting, we tasted three of Pôpa wines, the top tier.

NOTE: I have had the great pleasure of enjoying Quinta do Pôpa wines over the years. I  first met Stephané at a number of wine events in Europe prior to 2014.