The Douro region is spectacular. As far as the eye can see, the mountainous
terrain is covered with countour-line-like terraces.
The scale is impressive, too. There’s just so much of it. I don’t think I’m
exaggerating too much when I say that the Douro is one of the wonders of the
world.
Then there’s the soil. The ‘terroir’, is just about perfect for growing quality
wine grapes.
It’s schist, with a bit of granite here and there. It doesn’t look promising for
growing anything, but vines flourish in these conditions.
The poor soil encourages them to sink their roots deep, where they find a steady
but stingy water supply and divert their energies to grape production.
In a relatively short period of time the Douro has established itself as
Portugal’s premium wine region.
It’s hard to overstate the scale and pace of change that is currently taking
place in this most spectacular of wine regions.
Table wine has always been made here but were secondary to the requirements of
Port producers.
In recent years a critical mass of like-minded winemakers has emerged,
passionate about making the very best wines that these remarkable terroirs are
capable of.
• Douro DOC
Since so much effort is now being put in to making table wine from the very wide
range of climates, soils and expositions that exist within the Douro, it would
be a mistake to expect them all to conform to a single style.
Grapes grown in this very dry region are typically high in tannin and flavour.
Sophisticated management of the tannins is therefore essential, acidification is
often necessary and there is no need for extended maceration to extract colour
and other phenolics.
Touriga Nacional is the most famous Douro grape which make the most flagrantly,
fragrantly floral wines, often found blended with other grapes but increasingly
found as a single varietal wine.
Douro winemakers also treasure the structure offered by the grape now called
Touriga Franca (once Francesa), or Tinto Cão for its perfume.
Well known for the quality of its red wine, whites in the Douro are now
increasing in popularity.
They tend to be dry and crisp, citrus and often floral.
The grapes that used to dissapear into making white Ports are now used for a new
generation of elegant, complex, barrel-fermented Douro DOC whites.
There are even a few sweet Muscatals, and good Espumates (sparling wines).
• Vinho Regional (VR) Duriense
Those wines of good quality from the Douro that don't adhere to the stringent
DOC restraints or outside the designated areas.
• Baixo Corgo
The westernmost zone located downstream from the river Corgo, a total area of
45,000 hectares, centered on the municipality of Peso da Régua, here the largest
concentration of vineyards can be found – 29.9% of the sub-region' area.
This region is the wettest part of the Douro wine region, receiving an average
of 900 mm, and has the coolest average temperature of the three zones.
It is the most fertile of the three, the main reasons being the higher rainfall
and the ability of creating deeper soils.
• Cima Corgo - Located further upstream from the Baixo Corgo, the landscape
changes almost dramatically, centred around the town of Pinhão (municipality of
Alijó).
Hill slopes become more rugged and river and stream valleys are deeper, while
soil and climate conditions are harder.
Of its 95,000 hectares, vineyards currently cover no more than 17.9%. Small
ownership prevails but quality is generally high.
The summertime average temperature of the regions are a few degrees higher and
rainfall is about 200 mm less.
The grapes grown in this zone are considered of higher quality.
• Douro Superior
The easternmost zone extending nearly to the Spanish border. It is the largest
sub-region, with a total area of 110,000 hectares.
However, only 7.3% of this area is planted with vineyards. In comparison with
the other two sub-regions, Douro Superior is less mountainous, with generally
softer slopes and less deep valleys. Its climate is typically
Mediterranean-style, with the highest summer temperatures and annual rainfall of
about 400 mm.
This is the most arid and warmest region of the Douro.