Porto and the Douro Valley in northern Portugal are well worth a visit and are also easy to reach. This is also an opportunity to rediscover port wine, as it is a flavorful and aromatic wine that many people have not yet really tasted.
The grapes for the wine are harvested and processed in the Douro Valley, a river valley with steep slopes along the river of the same name.
From there, the wines are transported to Villa Nova de Gaja, which is located on the southern bank of the Douro, opposite Porto. In the past, this was done with special ships, which can still be seen in the harbor. In the warehouses, the wines reach their final maturity before being shipped all over the world.
The warehouses have now been expanded to include tasting rooms, and you can sample the wines of almost every port wine company. The oldest port wine house is Kopke, which was founded in 1638.
Among other things, I tried an excellent white port here. They are not as well known, but there are wonderful treasures to be discovered.
Port wine is made from both white and red grapes.
The white grapes are usually harvested earlier, as the aim here is to preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the grapes.
With red grapes, the aim is to achieve full ripeness so that the sweetness of the grapes is noticeable in the later must.
Once the desired sweetness has been achieved through fermentation, brandy is added to the must to stop the fermentation. The wines then usually have an alcohol content between 19 and 22% by volume.
The next step is to decide which of the two wine styles should be produced:
1) Ruby Port
The aim here is to retain the deep red color and produce a fruity and fresh wine style. There are various stages of maturity, such as Ruby, Ruby Reserva, Late Bottled Vintage and Vintage. These wines can be stored for years and continue to mature in the bottle.
2) Tawny Port
The wines are stored in wooden casks, which slowly changes the color to a light reddish brown and develops aromas of dried fruit and caramel.
These wines are available in three different degrees of maturity: Tawny, Tawny Reserve and Tawny with an age indication (10, 20, 30 and 40 years old). These are blended from different vintages, with the age indication always referring to the youngest wine.
Colheitas are Tawny wines that are produced from a single vintage, which of course was excellent.
If you cross the Dom Luis I bridge after tasting the various port wines, you will have a fantastic view of both sides of the Douro.
The railway bridge was designed at the end of the century by a student of Gustave Eiffel. Cars drive below and there is space for pedestrians and trams above.
From the bridge, you can reach Ribeira, the colorful and charming district along the riverbank.
There are numerous restaurants and bars here, but I preferred to go into the side streets and eat in the small and hidden restaurants, enjoying a glass of port wine for dessert.
By the way, you should drink port wine as soon as possible after opening it. A vintage should be drunk within 2-3 days. The more mature the wine, the longer it can be kept after opening, but not longer than 3-4 weeks. After that, its aromas will be lost, which would be a real shame.
These wines can be served as an aperitif or with dessert. The great mature ports are also enjoyed on their own. It is best to chill the wines slightly to around 12 - 16°C.
It goes particularly well with “Pasteis de Nata”, which are small cakes and a specialty of Portugal. These are particularly delicious at the bakery “Mateigaria”, of which there are two in the city (Rua Alexandre Braga 24 and Rua dos Clérigos 37).
Another highlight in the city is the Torre dos Clérigos. It is the tallest building in Porto and belongs to the Igreja dos Clérigos, a church from the 18th century. Visitors can climb the 225 steps of the tower to enjoy a breathtaking view over Porto and the Douro.
Right next to it, in Jardim das Oliveiras, is the stylish outdoor bar “Base”. Here you can enjoy delicious cocktails, some of which are mixed with port wine. It's a wonderful place to take a break in the middle of the city.
These are just a few examples of how you can combine sightseeing and port wine in the city. It is worth visiting the city and trying the port wines.
Do you have any tips for Porto?
Comentarios