Discovering the Fabulous Wines of the Douro Valley
Last weekend we headed to the Douro Valley to attend the Douro & Porto Wine Fest where Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, and others were headlining.
J is a big fan of Corinne Bailey Rae so when we saw she’d be in our neck of the woods, we quickly snagged two tickets. Good music and good wine? Count us in!
Truthfully, we love the Douro; the scenery is so unbelievable that we often felt like pictures and videos barely did it justice. Each time we’ve visited, it’s like the sun shines brighter, the foliage is greener, and the sky is bluer in Douro.
There’s just something about that part of Portugal that feels… magical.
Road Trip!
We rented a car for the weekend but if you’re visiting the Porto area, there are many tours available through Viator that you can take to Douro or you can even hire a private car service if that’s preferrable.
The drive through the region was stunning, marked by windy roads and vistas of vineyards as far as the eye could see.
Quite Possibly The World’s Most Charming Airbnb
We rented this Airbnb for 1 night and it oozed charm. Joaquim, our host, met us at the property and offered a tour; the stone walls, wood beams, and Portuguese-style tile made the space feel cozy and intimate.
The best part? Joaquim’s mom (who lives above the Airbnb) had a special-made dessert mouse waiting for us when we arrived! We were told to wait to enjoy it after the festival.
But it looked way too delicious not to devour immediately, which is exactly what I did. Zero regrets.
A Night at Douro & Porto Wine Fest
We arrived at the festival just before 7:30 pm. Expecting to see a huge crowd, it was, surprisingly, on the small side. Of course, we didn’t mind since it provided a delightfully chill atmosphere.
The festival itself is a celebration of food, music, and – of course – wine, surrounded by the mountains of the idyllic Douro valley. It was held at Porto Comercial De Cambres, right along the Douro River.
The Wine
In the center of the venue was the “wine village,” featuring locally produced wines from across the region. Like other fests we’ve attended, we bought a glass and used that to sample wines from each stall.
It was so lovely because we had the chance to chat with the producers to better understand the flavor of each wine, the conditions that influenced its taste, and how it was harvested.
As someone who loooooves food and wine, I revel in these moments to collect tidbits of knowledge from experts because it allows me to better appreciate what I consume so much more.
The wines we tried and loved were whites and rosés from Pacheca, Quanta Terra, Rede, and Arribas.
AVIOTHIC TIP | Vineyards to Check Out
If you’re headed to Douro any time in the future, be sure to check out these vineyards, which we highly recommend:
- Quinta do Tedo | This18th century estate produces our favorite varieties of Port wine; their ruby Ports are stand-out. Aside from being a vineyard, they also operate a bed & breakfast as well as Bistro Terrace restaurant, located on the property.
- Quinta Beijo | This quaint estate is the smallest of the bunch listed but nonetheless robust in its offerings; they produce a fantastic array of Ports.
- Quinta Pacheca | This is, easily, our favorite. The property itself is stunning and has a beautiful bar (get the Port Tonic!) as well as an outdoor patio area to laze around in. Take a stroll through the wine shop and don’t sleep on the olive oil made on the property; it’s fabulous! There’s also a hotel and really cool barrel-shaped villas you can stay overnight in!
By the way, Douro isn’t Portugal’s only wine region! Alentejo, Algarve, Dão, Vinho Verde/Minho, and Madeira cannot be forgotten. We haven’t been to these gems yet but they’re definitely on our list!
Chef’s Table
The festival also hosted cooking demonstrations with four renowned chefs over the weekend who took the stage to demonstrate different techniques and dishes. It would have been refreshing to see some female chefs representation, but alas, maybe next year.
Food trucks and stalls were abound – we ate everything from hot dogs (which we totally miss from the States), focaccia sandwiches, churros and fries. It was all delicious!
The Sound of Music
We were impressed by the line up at the festival. I would have chosen to see Joss Stone but J is a tried-and-true Corrine Bailey Rae (CBR) fan.
That said, I did really enjoy CBR’s performance; the majority of the music she played was from her new album, which was heavily influenced by Chicago and American black history. We both loved hearing about her stories behind the music, which made the concert even more enjoyable. She closed out with her two best known hits:
- Like A Star (from “27 Dresses” fame)
- Put Your Record On
By the time we left, the festival was PACKED – we quickly remembered that Europeans start the party a lot later than we do!
We only spent 2 days in the Douro and before we left, we were already plotting our return.
If you love wine then you’ve got to make the Douro (or Portugal’s other wine regions) a pit stop during your Portugal adventures.
xoxox
