The Douro River Valley to Porto

Douro Valley Wine Tour

Overview

Douro wines’ many faces and stunning scenery

Head to the Douro Valley for three days of wine exploration and relaxation. Visit the region’s most intriguing wineries, from artisan family-run projects to the outposts of centenarian giants. You’ll focus on DOC Douro wines, but there’ll be plenty of long-aged Port as well. Taste Portuguese cuisine at its best, from traditional home-cooked meals to creative cuisine. You’ll finish your tour in Porto with an elite Port lodge visit and dinner in the city.

Porto → Douro Valley → Porto

☾ 3 Nights

THE DOURO RIVER VALLEY

The Douro is easily the most dramatic wine region in the world. And stunningly beautiful. The riverbanks, covered in near-vertical sloping vineyards that look impossible, rise thousands of feet above the Douro River. Whitewashed quintas–winery manor houses– punctuate the hilltops, offering incredible views across the valley. The roads wind their way through the hills, making even short journeys scenic and painfully slow. The Douro is where Port comes from, and Port is perhaps the greatest sweet wine ever produced. It’s also the source of Douro wines, dry wines which 30 years on have staked a claim among the most respected wines in Portugal. It’s a seemingly impossible place to grow grapes and make wine, but today, as in centuries past, the quality of the Douro terroir seems to justify the effort.

PORT AND DOURO WINES

The Douro is the source for Portugal’s two most important wines. The first and by far the most storied is Port, the sweet wine that has been made from Douro grapes and aged in Porto for centuries. British wine shippers popularized the wine and named it with a shortened version of the name of the city of Porto. Today, Port remains atop the world of sweet wine, particularly vintage and tawny Ports. Vintage Port is a powerful, sweet fortified red wine that is built to age for decades in bottle before being consumed, while tawny does its aging in large barrels in the cavernous cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia and develops into a golden elixir with the years. Quality examples of both types are some of the best wines in the world and will dispel any preconceptions one might harbor about sweet wines.

Douro wines are a different beast entirely. In the 1990s, a group of producers known as the Douro Boys brought dry wines from the Douro Valley to global attention with their unique and complex bottlings. The same exceptional vineyards that produced the grapes for the best vintage Ports turned out to be exceptional for making powerful red wines that were unlike any other in the world. In the last three decades, Douro reds have become the most interesting and appreciated Portuguese wines on the market. The extreme slopes, varied soils and harsh climate of this valley combine with a wealth of local grape varieties to produce wines that range from fruity and delicious to intense and enormous. Even the whites from the region are becoming better and more diverse every year.

There’s something for everyone in the Douro, an essential stop for every wine traveler.

PORTO

Port country is two places in one connected by the Douro River itself. The city of Porto lies where the river empties into the Atlantic. Built up the steep river banks, Portugal’s second city has a sleepy, forgotten enchantment to it that helps explain its recent renaissance. 

New luxury hotels have sprung up in restored old buildings. The restaurant scene, never as dynamic as Lisbon’s, is looking formidable now. Central Porto is relaxed even in spite of the recent influx of visitors; it’s remarkably easy to lose track of time here. 

When you emerge from the winding streets that lead from the river up to “downtown” Porto you can see across to Vila Nova de Gaia, ground zero for port wine. The most famous sweet wine in the world has been aged in this town for hundreds of years. The British were the shippers, lending their names to the signs that light up the night sky and the bottles that line shop windows: Sandeman, Warre’s, Taylor’s, Graham’s, whose storehouses are filled with barrels black from  decades aging port. Yet if you head out of Porto looking for the vineyards, you’ll have to go way up-river before finding them, to the Douro Valley.

The Douro River Valley to Porto

Douro Valley Wine Tour

DAY 1

INTO THE DOURO VALLEY

Head into the Douro Valley, a dramatic country of winding roads and steep hillside vineyards. Start with a tasting with a view at Quinta das Carvalhas. Then, lunch at Quinta de São Luiz will give you a taste of updated Douro cuisine paired with the estate’s wines and Ports. Head to your winery hotel at Quinta da Côrte, where you’ll have a tasting of the top-quality wines made there before an intimate dinner.

  • Private transfer from Porto to the Douro Valley wine region

  • Quinta das Carvalhas tasting

  • Lunch at Quinta de São Luiz

  • Quinta da Côrte wine tasting & dinner

  • Overnight Douro

Quinta das Carvalhas Winery Tasting

Quinta das Carvalhas is a Douro outpost of Real Companhia Velha, one of the oldest Port houses in Porto. Carvalhas has been at the center of RCV’s transformation from classic Port into the world of fine DOC Douro wines. Their vineyards have become proving grounds for a growing collection of acclaimed red and white wines. It doesn’t hurt that the quinta is in a beautiful spot, but the wines here are serious. Taste top RCV Douro wines made from indigenous grapes for a window into contemporary (and excellent) Douro. Bonus: drive up through the vineyards to a hilltop viewpoint over the Douro Valley.

Lunch at Quinta de São Luiz

Quinta de São Luiz sits perched above the Douro River in the region’s prime vineyard area. This estate is the winemaking center of Kopke, one of Port’s great houses with close to four centuries in the business. For São Luiz’s restaurant, they’ve brought in Chef Vitor de Oliveira, an expert on Portugal’s traditional cuisine highlighting Portuguese products. Sit down on the restaurant’s panoramic terrace and enjoy the flavors of Portugal’s countryside and ocean, from cod and octopus to hearty Portuguese meat. Don’t miss the chance to try Portuguese black pig ham and other fine charcuterie: Chef Oliveira is a specialist in these cured meats. No meal would be complete without wine, and you can enjoy Quinta de São Luiz DOC Douro wines here as well as Kopke’s long-aged Ports. Look out for the old Tawnies and the world-famous Kopke Colheitas.

Quinta da Côrte Wine Tasting & Dinner

The grapes from Quinta da Côrte vineyards had been sold to the best Port producers for many decades when French businessman and winery owner Phillippe Austruy discovered the quinta. After purchasing estates in Bordeaux and Provence, Austruy was looking for an exceptional property in the Douro Valley, and Quinta da Côrte was the answer he needed. The dramatic terraced vineyards planted on schist soil and located in the best vine-growing area of the Douro allowed Austruy to begin bottling excellent wines quickly. He rebuilt the quinta’s buildings into a beautiful series of spaces for winemaking, tasting and dining, even adding a few rooms for guests to stay in. Famed French winemaking consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt collaborates with experienced local talent to craft an impeccable line of wines and Ports.

Quinta da Côrte’s wines and Ports are made from essential Douro grape varieties like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz alongside rarer grapes like Tinto Cão and Tinta Barroca. There’s a floral, fresh white made from Viosinho, a grape traditionally used for white Port. The quinta’s two red wines are both great examples of carefully crafted Douro reds. Princesa plays the role of second wine and is dominated by Touriga Franca. The Grande Reserva uses more Touriga Nacional and more oak aging to create a luscious, long-lived wine. Quinta da Côrte’s Ports are made traditionally, including stomping grapes in granite vats after harvest. The two elegant tawny Ports are great examples of the style particularly suited to pairing with food. The Quinta da Côrte LBV is a fine and ageworthy wine in its own right, and the estate’s Vintage is a deep, complex jewel that shows clearly the incredible quality of the quinta’s old vineyards.

When you arrive at the quinta you’ll have views over the vineyards and the wider Douro Valley. You’ll have the chance to see the beautifully restored whitewashed quinta buildings where Quinta da Côrte’s wines and Ports are made before tasting the estate’s wines. Afterwards, settle in for a home-cooked dinner on the terrace or in the quinta house paired with Quinta da Côrte wines.

DAY 2

DOURO INNOVATION

Today will take you into the world of new-wave DOC Douro wine. Start with a Douro River cruise, the best way to see the landscape. Then, visit Niepoort, the face of innovative Douro wine, for a winery visit followed by lunch. In the afternoon, a visit to artisan Wine & Soul will let you taste profound, complex Douro wines and small-production Port. Relax at your hotel before heading to wine destination restaurant Castas e Pratos for elegant Portuguese dishes and a wine cellar overflowing with Douro rarities.

  • Private Douro River cruise

  • Niepoort winery visit & wine-pairing lunch

  • Wine & Soul winery visit & extended tasting

  • Dinner at Castas e Pratos

  • Overnight Douro

Private Douro River Cruise

In the village of Pinhão catch the boat for a private cruise on the Douro River. Don’t think “cruise” or “ship", however. You will be on a traditional wooden rabelo boat, formerly used to transport the port wine barrels from the vineyards to Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing in the cellars.

Niepoort Winery Visit & Wine-pairing Lunch

Niepoort is central to the modern Douro. A longtime elite producer of fine Port wine, Niepoort has become a leader in dry Douro wines in the last 30 years. Fifth generation Dirk Niepoort, one of the five “Douro Boys” who popularized dry wines in Douro, leads Niepoort today. He pushed to buy and plant vineyards for red and white wines over his father’s objections. Dirk’s early wines help prove to the world that Douro was good for more than Port.

Today Niepoort has a dizzying range of wines from Douro, Dão, Bairrada and the Azores–and even a Sherry from Spain!. Iconic Douros like Charme and Coche are joined by new bottlings of all sorts. Port production continues, with top Vintages and Tawnies bottled year after year. Yet Dirk doesn’t sit still, having led expansion efforts into regions like Vinho Verde, Dão and Alentejo. His propensity for collaboration has led to wines made with the best winemakers in Portugal, Spain and beyond. From the outside it might look like chaos, but Dirk’s efforts have put him, the Douro and indeed all of Portuguese wine on the world map.

The secrets to the success may be a love of local grapes and special vineyards combined with a talent for expressing terroir. When the Douro Boys began their experiments, the wine world was taken with extraction and power, but Niepoort’s wines are the opposite: subtle, expressive, profound. A tasting at Niepoort, whether it’s all Douro or includes wines from around Portugal, is always a masterclass.

You’ll have the chance to visit Niepoort’s Quinta de Nápoles, in the heart of the Douro Valley. This historic property is the center of Niepoort’s wine and Port production. Learn about the history and wines of the house before tasting a selection of Niepoort wines. Then, it’s time for a special experience: a traditional Portuguese lunch with the winery staff, accompanied by Niepoort wines, guided by the winery’s sommelier. This is a unique opportunity to embed yourself in the world of one of Portugal’s visionary wineries.

Wine & Soul Winery Visit & Extended Tasting

Wine & Soul is a leading new winery forming part the dry unfortified DOC Douro wine movement. The other wineries that have added non Port wines to their portfolio are historic Port producers. Husband and wife winemaking team Sandra and Jorge launched onto the scene with Pintas, a red wine from a tiny plot of old field blend vines in the hills above Pinhão. Pintas made waves quickly, and today it’s consistently ranked among Douro’s best reds. The couple sought out other old vines to make red and white wines, including the ethereal Guru white and Pintas Character red, before adding Jorge’s family estate at Quinta da Manoella to their portfolio. This historic winery gave them even more old vines, in particular those that make Quinta da Manoella VV, another elite Douro red. With a focus on a light winemaking touch, native grapes and old vines, Wine & Soul has made a name for itself as an essential winery in a region full of centenarian names. They’ve even begun bottling very fine Port wines. This is a vision of the cutting edge and future of Douro wine.

Dinner at Castas e Pratos

Castas e Pratos is a wine enjoyer’s destination in the Douro. The converted space in Peso da Régua’s old train terminal hosts this restaurant and wine bar where you can eat and drink stunningly well. Start with the wine list, and you may never finish, because Castas e Pratos has more Douro and Port wines than most could try in a lifetime. From tiny local producers as well as legendary houses come bottlings in every color and at every price. Whether you want to try a rare wine impossible to find outside Douro or the Douro’s most legendary labels, you can do it here. The food is some of the best in the area, modern yet satisfying Portuguese dishes with creative touches.

DAY 3

PORTO: PORT & MODERN CUISINE

Stop in at Quinta do Tedo to taste organic Douro and Port with a view before heading to Porto. See and taste the old-school charm of Port lodges with a visit to Graham’s Port lodge before dinner at elegant bistro Apego.

  • Quinta do Tedo winery visit

  • Private transfer to Porto

  • Graham’s Port Lodge tasting

  • Dinner at Apego

  • Overnight Porto

Quinta do Tedo Winery Visit & Tasting

Quinta do Tedo is a boutique winery in the heart of the Douro. The owners are Vincent and Kay Bouchard, who split their time between Napa and Quinta do Tedo. Vincent comes from the family of legendary Burgundy producer Bouchard Père e Fils. Hilltop Quinta do Tedo is surrounded by exceptional Douro vineyards that provide fruit for all of the wines made here. The Douro DOC wines and Ports are both made from the traditional local grape varieties of the area. All wines and Ports are certified organic, a rarity in Douro. Learn about the project and enjoy a tasting of the estate wines while enjoying panoramic views of the Douro River Valley.

Graham’s Port Lodge Tasting in Porto

Graham’s is one of the great old British Port producers (founded in 1829) and one of the first Port shippers to appreciate the value of the vineyards of the Douro and acquire their own Douro Valley quinta. Today, as the jewel in the crown of the Symington family’s group of properties, Graham’s remains one of the most highly regarded Port producers. Traditional to the core, Graham’s even continues to employ its own team of coopers to ensure the quality of their Port aging. A long history in the business means Graham’s has an extensive collection of long-aged Tawny Ports. The house is equally famous for their Vintage Ports, selected from the best vineyards and bottled only in the best years. Enjoy a private port tasting in their very British style “club”.

Dinner at Apego

In a stone-walled little space in the center of Porto, Apego serves updated and technically refined Portuguese cuisine. It’s a cozy restaurant, with couches lining the wall and dark wood accenting against stone. You feel at home as soon as you sit down. The short menu changes with the seasons and the market. To drink, choose from a short but select wine list with a special focus on artisan Portuguese growers.

DAY 4

DEPARTURE

  • Transfer to the Porto airport or train station for departure

HOTELS

Douro - 2 nights

Quinta da Côrte- Whitewashed hilltop Quinta overlooking the Douro river converted into an 8 room boutique winery accommodation. The rooms and public spaces have been redone with expert design and great taste. The rooms offer excellent views of the countryside. There’s no restaurant, but delicious meals are prepared for guests using local products, including the estate’s delicious wines and Ports.







Porto - 1 night

Palacete Severo - This converted palace is an oasis in Porto. From the garden to the glass-ceilinged dining room, the public areas are elegant and subtly decorated. Art from the owner’s Paris gallery is on display throughout the hotel. The rooms combine the beauty of the original building with tasteful luxury. The restaurant, bar and spa mean you can stay put for the night.

INCLUDED

  • 3 nights hotel, double occupancy

  • breakfast daily in the hotels

  • expert private guides

  • private premium tours and tastings at wineries

  • private driver-guide for wine tour days

  • 2 lunches with wine

  • restaurant reservations and recommendations

  • full trip planning

  • in-country trip assistance and on-the-ground support

  • Epicurean Ways expertise

NOT INCLUDED

  • flights to/from Spain and flights within Spain

  • tips to guides and drivers (optional but appreciated)

  • travel insurance (recommended) Note that TravelSafe travel insurance can be arranged through Epicurean Ways

  • extra charges in hotels (minibar, room service, etc)

A note on winery visits, restaurant selections and hotels

All tours, experiences and hotels are subject to availability and will be confirmed upon booking the trip.

You will be accompanied by a driver-guide during your wine touring. Your visits and tastings will be private and with the winemaker, a family member or an expert who knows the winery and the wines well. We work with the wineries to make sure that you taste the best and most representative wines during each visit. It is sometimes possible to arrange extended tastings that include old vintages or rare wines. We have an extensive group of wineries whose owners we know and with whom we work regularly, so we can guarantee high-level visits even if a winery has to be substituted. If you have an interest in visiting a particular producer please let us know.

We include restaurant concierge service as part of your trip. Note that our restaurant suggestions are just that–suggestions. Places we love, places to go back to time after time. We recommend these places after years of experience eating in Spain and Portugal together with frequent research and input from our local partners. We aspire to guide your choices with information on the styles of cuisine and restaurants; the choice on where to eat is yours based on your preferences and desires.

We have included hotel options ranging from 5-star luxury properties to small boutique hotels. Let us know your preferences and we will tailor the hotel choices for you.

TRIP PRICES

Note that we can customize this trip for you. Add days in your arrival or departure city or in other locations or make changes to the experiences, winery visits, restaurants, or hotels included in the trip. Whatever it is, we’re here to work with you. Once you’re happy with the trip plan and have some idea of your dates we will calculate and send you the price.