Douro Valley: Discover the birthplace of port wine in Portugal

But why does wine need to be fortified? Call it a happy accident or necessity being the mother of all inventions, it was originally fortified to prevent it from getting ruined on its arduous journey across the ocean to England. In the late 1700s, it became increasingly common to add some brandy—essentially a young, clear neutral spirit distilled from wine—during fermentation. This stopped the process before all the natural sweetness of the grape juice was converted into alcohol. Since wine was no longer fermenting, it ensured it never spoiled. However, a happy result of that was that you got a sweet, distinct, flavourful wine which became all the rage in England. Since it was being shipped from the city of Porto, it came to be called port wine.

While there are 14 demarcated wine-producing regions in Portugal, the Douro Valley is the only one legally allowed to produce port wine—thanks to the Marquês de Pombal, who demarcated the region in 1756. Think of it a bit like the Champagne region of France.

So, it's not surprising that historically the region has focussed on the production of port; however, over the past century local vineyards have started producing other wines too. It's this expanding offering that led the region to be named European Wine City in 2023.

There are several wine tours from Porto (Portugal's second-largest city) to the Douro Valley. It's around a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the city, and a full-day tour typically includes a visit to a couple of historic quintas (wine estates)—there are over 200 of those—and a cruise on the river.

I visit a small boutique estate called Quinta de Santa Julia from 1596. It produces only 200,000 bottles of wine every year, along with 20,000 bottles of olive oil, which happens to be one of Portugal's largest exports.

Here wine is still produced the traditional way—with grapes being stomped by foot. In fact, I find out that to make the finest port, many vineyards continue to do so. Machines break the grape seeds, releasing too many tannins, which makes the port bitter, my guide tells me. On the other hand, soft feet against stone keep the seeds intact. During harvest time (mid-September through early October), the grapes are poured into big granite tubs called lagares. A team of two dozen stompers line up across from each other, put their arms on each other's shoulders, and march, military-style, to crush the grapes. The stomping can last three to four days. In fact, tourists are invited to join in, so if you happen to visit during the harvest season, do give wine-stomping a chance. But be warned that your legs will turn purple for at least a week!

Another unique feature of the Douro Valley is that there is no artificial irrigation. The valley is spread across 250,000 acres, of which 45,000 acres are vineyards, producing some 80 different types of grapes. While the lion's share of the harvest is set aside for the four different types of port wine—ruby, tawny, white and rosé—grapes are also being used for table wines.

Driving through the region you enjoy steep, twisting valleys and neat terraces as far as the eye can see. Depending on when you visit, the hillside can shift in colour, from dull brown in winter to bright green in summer to glowing red and gold in fall.

My next port of call is a store that specialises in Vintage Port—the most expensive and prestigious member of the port family. Though accounting for just a fraction of total port production, Vintage Port is the Douro Valley's flagship style, produced only from a single vineyard in an exceptional year. It is produced from the best grapes, and samples are submitted to the Institute of Douro and Porto Wine two years after harvest. After being tested (and tasted) for quality assessment, vintage declarations are made. Vintage Port spends a short time ageing in the barrel—only two to three years—and is then bottled with the sediments. That is why its minimum bottle-ageing period is considered to be 15 years. The finest examples age well over 50 years. They continue to age in the bottle without getting ruined. The last Vintage was declared in 2016. It is thought that the first Vintage Port was made in 1775.

Prices for these exceptional wines can shoot through the roof. "There is a saying in Portugal: buy some bottles of Vintage Port, forget about them for 50 years, and then sell them and buy a boat," laughs my guide. "An apocalypse can happen, but there is no way that a Vintage Port is losing value," she adds.

So, if you happen to be in the Douro Valley, pick yourself a bottle of Vintage Port as an investment. Me? I just admire a bottle from 1885 for 90,000 euros, and wonder if anyone is actually going to drink it. 

@smitabw