Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to England. The wine picked up the flavor of the oak, and the English grew to like the
fortified taste and oaky flavor. The British perfected port production in the succeeding
centuries, hence many ports carry British-sounding names (Taylor, Croft, Graham).
In 1703, the Methuen Treaty reduced taxation on Portuguese wines, making port
even more popular. In 1756, Portugal's Marquês de Pombal demarcated the Douro re-
gion—the first such designation in Europe. From that point on, only true “port wine”
came from this region, following specific regulations of production, just as “Cham-
pagne” technically refers to wines from a specific region of France. Traditionally,
farmers and landowners were Portuguese, while the British bought the wine from
them, aged it in Porto, and handled the export business. But that arrangement changed
in the late 19th century, when an infestation of an American insect called phylloxera
(which smuggled itself to the Old World in the humid climate of speedy steamboats)
devastated the Portuguese—and European—wine industry.
In the Douro Valley, you'll see lasting evidence of the phylloxera infestations in
the “dead” terraces, overgrown with weeds and a smattering of olive trees. During the
infestations, these particular terraces were treated with harsh chemicals that contamin-
ated the soil, rendering it suitable only for growing olives, but not grapes. Other ter-
races were left untouched, as Portuguese vintners simply gave up. Unable to produce
usable grapes for over a decade, they sold their land to British companies who were
willing to wait until a solution could be found. It was, as phylloxera-resistant Americ-
an rootstock began to be used throughout Europe. Port production resumed, this time
on British-owned land.
Today, Porto and the Douro Valley see many British tourists. Though it's largely
undiscovered by Americans, this region is a real hot spot among wine-loving Brits.
At the other end of the spectrum is the loose, informal, family-run
Quinta de Mar-
that made them (€4-10 tastings, daily 10:00-12:00 & 15:00-18:00,
www.quintademarrocos.com
). You could hoof it here from Peso da Régua (across the
river and about 1.5 miles upstream), but it's not as easy by foot as Quinta de la Rosa.
other fine tasting option, especially for those without a car.
Growing—and Stomping—Grapes in the Douro Valley
Port wine can technically only be grown in the Douro Valley, which is unique among
European river valleys. One glance at those endless neat rows of terraces—and the harsh,
