Portugal wine regions - Duoro
Hi,
My boyfriend and I are looking to spend three nights in a wine region in Portugal at the start of April - does anyone have any suggestions?
We will be in Algarve for a week and then were thinking of getting a car and driving to Duoro.
Is it possible to just drive around to wineries during the day and do tastings or do you need to make bookings ahead of time?
Does anyone have any accomodation suggestions?
Also, will the wineries be open over the easter weekend?
Thanks!
-
More thoughts . . .
Restaurante DOC
Estrada Nacional 222
Folgosa
5110-204 Armamar
telf. 254 858 123
email: doc@ruipaula.comLodging:
Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros - http://www.chanceleiros.com/
CS Vintage House Hotel - http://www.csvintagehouse.com/
Quinta de la Rosa B&B - http://www.quintadelarosa.com/
Quinta do Silva B&B - http://www.quintadosilval.pt/index.ph... -
Hi,
I am planning our trip to Portugal/Spain in May/June. I found Quinta de la Rosa which has great reviews and looks fabulous. They make their own wines. It is in Pinhao. Great starting point to explore the region. There is a number of hiking paths from La Quinta. If booking ahead, for 27 euro pp they will serve dinner that includes wines and ports from their winery. Please check www.manorhouses.com or go to Quinta de la Rosa's website. All rooms are overlooking the river and valley and reasonably priced. If you follow the advice and happen to end up at this B&B, please let me know about your experience. Thank you and have a wonderful trip -
GENERALLY speaking . . .
I'm not trying to be difficult, but what do you know of the Douro? The reason I ask is that the region is dominated by two large conglomerates: the Symingtons (owners of Cockburn's, Dow's, Gould Campbell, Graham's, Martinez, Quarles Harris, and Ware's, as well as Quinta do Vesuvio) and the Fladgate Partnership (owners of Taylor's -- known in the U.S. as Taylor, Fladgate -- and Fonseca, as well as Croft and Romariz, IIRC). Third would probably be Sogrape, owners of A.A. Ferriera, Offley, and Sandeman
Most Port wine is produced by shippers, and these are ALL located in Vila Nova da Gaia. Many are open for tours and tastings without an appointment. Several of these shippers also produce table wines.
Up in the Douro -- which is one of the THE most beautiful wine regions, by the way -- are hundreds of quintas. Some of these, like Quinta Vale Dona Maria, are closed to the public, period; others, like Quinta do Crasto, are closed without an appointment. I know of very few which are open for tasting on a casual, "drop in" basis like your average California winery. Therefore, prior planning is essential.
Cheers,
Jason -
monchique
Mar 13, 2012 10:40 AM
Driving from the Algarve to the Douro region is a full day drive, so you might contemplate taking the train to Porto and renting a car there.
The Vintage hotel in Pinhão is a good base for exploring the Quintas and they can organise the visits. But Easter week-end certainly not the easiest time. http://www.csvintagehouse.com/
You can always contact them and ask what they suggest...
Also, note that the region is spelt DOURO in case you want to do a search on this board or elsewhere.
