Douro

Best known for its Port wine, the Douro wine region today also produces high-quality dry wines. Local grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca are widely cultivated, resulting in concentrated and beautifully smooth wines.

The vineyards of the Douro Valley cover around 45,000 hectares and reach elevations of up to 800 metres, forming countless spectacular terraces. These stretch from Peso da Régua – about 80 kilometres east of where the Douro flows into the Atlantic – all the way to the Spanish border. The poor, rugged soils are dominated by dark schist.

Climate variations

Due to its climatic diversity, the Douro Valley is divided into three sub-regions. Baixo Corgo still lies under the influence of the cool, humid Atlantic air. With almost 1,000 millimetres of annual rainfall, the conditions here produce lighter, fruit-driven wines. In Cima Corgo and especially in Douro Superior, the climate is significantly hotter and drier, with rainfall dropping to just 450 millimetres. Wines from these areas tend to be richer, denser, and more concentrated.

More than just Port wine

For a long time, the Douro region was almost exclusively associated with Port wine. This has changed considerably over the past decade, and today high-quality wines from the Douro are happily no longer a rarity. The potential for outstanding wines has always been present: the continental climate, steep hillsides and soils rich in schist and granite offer ideal conditions for viticulture. Until a few years ago, however, the best grapes were used solely for Port wine. As some producers began to rethink their approach, resources and priorities shifted. Modern Douro red wine is intense in colour, packed with dark-berry fruit and concentration, yet also offers remarkable structure.

Both red wines and Port wines are now predominantly based on the region’s “big five” Douro grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca. For white wines, Rabigato, Gouveio, Viosinho and Encruzado are considered the finest varieties.

If you would like to explore the unique character of wines from the Douro, you can easily order online and discover our carefully curated selection.