Wine Safaris to ‘The Home of Port Wine’ Douro Valley, Portugal
The Douro is often referred to as ‘The Enchanted Valley’ due to the beauty and magic its landscapes offer
Since 1984, we have been importing wines from small, family-run vineyards around Europe, including the Douro valley.
Over the years, this zeal has grown, our knowledge has multiplied and we’ve developed some lifelong friendships with some exceptional winemakers.
Such a wealth of first-hand experience, and an abiding love for the wine regions of the World and its wines, makes our tours truly unique.
The Douro Valley has been called ‘The Enchanted Valley‘ for its stunning natural beauty. Development is kept to an absolute minimum, so the region retains a timeless quality—and its winemakers, many of whom you’ll meet in person, preserve the traditional skills of viticulture with a proud passion which they delight in passing on to their guests.
Sunning yourself in an idyllic vineyard, sampling the fruits of their labours, so lovingly and skilfully crafted, is an unforgettable experience
Our accommodation is a stunning Douro property, set amongst the sprawling valley side vineyards, enjoying a relaxed atmosphere and stunning views and a real place to allow relaxation, yet near to all our wineries for short journeys too and from.
Day 1 – Wednesday
After your arrival in Porto we first enjoy a fascinating tour of the ancient cellars of Taylor’s port, (est 1692) in the Vila Nova de Gaia region of Porto,
where all the famous Port Houses are situated. Here we enjoy a fabulous lunch of local produce, accompanied by a tasting of some of Taylor’s best products presented by their in-house sommelier
We then journey North to the Douro Valley, the oldest demarcated wine region in the World, enjoying the spectacular views of mountains, villages and valleys on route.
On arrival at the beautiful village of Pinhão on the Douro River, we’ll be treated to a tour of the incredible steep valley slopes, where the Port wine grapes are grown, of Real Companhia Velha, with spectacular, breathtaking views over the valley.
A tasting of their wines and ports follows and then we venture onto our hotel for the night
Day 2 – Thursday
After breakfast we visit the cellars of Fonseca Port and Wine for a tour of their vineyards and a tasting on their patio overlooking the valley of vines and river. An amazing spot to taste some incredible ports and also the new wines now being produced from these vineyards
A light lunch of fresh, local ingredients is enjoyed at Quinta do Portal the family owned, 5th generation, boutique wine producers, with a tasting of their ports and wines presented by their in house expert, with a tour of their incredibly designed, modern and eco friendly cellars, naturally cooled by design and including a special treat on the roof!
The days tastings are rounded off with a visit to the hillside winery of Quinta do Crasto a winery first established in 1615, with the original ancient farmhouse available for our winetasting in inclement weather, or the patio with infinity pool and views over the Douro river in fine weather. Either option is exceptional and makes for a perfect tasting.
The evening meal is held at a fine restaurant near to your hotel where you can taste the true delicacies of Portuguese cooking at its finest. Enjoy!
Day 3 – Friday
After Breakfast, it’s just a short trip to the beautiful, old village of Pinhão, with its cobbled streets, for a relaxing trip on an ancient ‘Rabelo‘ boat, used centuries ago to transport the port barrels from the wineries in the Douro, down to the ageing and bottling cellars in Porto.
You can enjoy the picturesque views of the wineries and hillside vineyards in the peace and tranquility of the Douro river.
Further inland and at a much higher altitude, yet still with stunning views over the Douro, are the private estates of Quinta da Furada, where we experience the true artisan wine making experience of 7th generation winemaker Duarte Alegra. A true gentleman and genius of his art, we visit some of the oldest vines in Portugal, still producing wines and olive trees dating back to the 17th century, also still producing today!
Furada’s ports and wines are unique and we discover exactly why from Duarte himself, accompanied by local cheeses, hams, figs, nuts, breads, oil and other treats, all produced locally, many on the estate itself.
Dinner is provided back in Pinhão with a presentation of some other excellent wines from another of our producers and surprise guest, to be announced!
Day 4 – Saturday
Soon after breakfast, we venture to the nearby Quinta da Corte, a real treasure of the Douro, located in the ‘Golden triangle’, which contains the World’s most prestigious Quinta’s.
By treating its great terroir with the respect it deserves, and by the use of traditional methods updated in the light of the latest advances, Quinta da Corte produce wines with great depth of character. Their authentic style bears eloquent testimony to a combination of great native varieties and schist soils.
In the afternoon, we take a gentle drive back to Porto, for your flights home
* We may need to make slight changes to this Itinerary on the fly, taking into consideration weather conditions, time constraints and other variants, but will not distract from the overall tour quality or experience.
