The Douro is easily one of the most spectacular wine landscapes in the world… The Douro river snakes its way through the valley where vines and stacked stone terraces appear to almost tumble down dramatically steep schist hillsides, the very sight of which induce vertigo. There’s an intensity to the Douro that makes it particular: its heat, its fragrance, the colourful plant life that escapes from the cracks and crevices of ancient metamorphic rock.
With vineyards established for over 2000 years, winemaking tradition runs through the veins of the Douro with a complex DNA of over 200 native varieties that rarely exist anywhere else in the world. It is such a dramatic and unique wine region, that it begs the question ‘why isn’t this the world’s most famous wine region?’
The Douro is by no means unknown, but it is still best known for its production of fortified wines – Port. Port is a heritage worth protecting, but still wine production hasn’t had too much of a look in over the centuries. Producers have always made wines for themselves and the domestic market, but it is only in the last couple of decades that some Douro families have begun pioneering quality dry wine for export.
My recent visit to the Douro was focused on seeing some of the producers of ‘The New Douro’ – an association of two dozen producers that are using their unfortified wines to challenge people’s perception of the potential for Douro wine. Most of them make some Port too, but dry wine is not an afterthought – it is an entirely separate focal point.
The continental climate of the Douro (with extremely hot summers and limited rain) means that maturity, sweetness or alcohol are never an issue. Making powerhouse wines in the Douro is easy. The challenge is making wines of elegance and balance. However, when that is achieved, the wines can be utterly sublime.
I was fortunate to have a couple of hundred of wines to taste through while visiting, and my impressions ranged from some rather unforgettable wines to some wines that were among the most distinct I have ever tasted. With such a vast range of native varieties, an extreme continental and mountain climate, and remarkable schist and granite soils, there are some true ‘terroir wines’ in the Douro. And, most exciting of all, the region’s winemakers are only just beginning to tap into the potential for winemaking.
The Douro’s communication conundrum
The conditions are unique in the Douro, but so is the genetic material, which is part of the great communication challenge of Douro wines.
“We have so many native varieties, that even we don’t know what we have!” says winemaker Manuel Lobos at Quinta do Castro, who has spent the last five years GPS tracking almost 30,000 vines to detect the 49 varieties planted in his old Maria Teresa vineyard. “The vineyard is in control. These are vines that have survived and thrived by themselves for centuries. My goal is to have a genetic map of what we have, so we can replant with the same genetic material when a vine dies.”
Producers are still trying to get a grip on what varieties they have in their vineyard, but also facing the challenge of how to replant. Some wine producers are planting new vineyards – or replanting old ones – separating varieties row by row, and others are returning to the seemingly ‘random’ plantations of old field blends.
Cristiano from Vale D. Maria is one producer planting in this more randomised way: “There is a revival of the old way of planting vineyards, but a learning curve on the old tradition. We don’t focus on the different grapes in a field blend vineyard, we think about that vineyard – the meaning is completely different.”
This learning curve is part of the Portuguese problem, as such. There’s so much to communicate about varieties and conditions that are alien to wine drinkers who are only accustomed to varietal branding. Douro wines aren’t simple to communicate, but nor are they simple in the glass. And that’s what makes the new Douro wines exciting.
New Douro wine recommendations
Red: New Douro wines from old vines
The challenge with red wines is keeping a balance of fresh fruit characteristics with the distinctive Douro mineral weight and schist character. Some older vintages of reds that I tasted showed some good character, but the fruit was often overripe and fading fast. The more modern style of winemaking being used – harvesting fruit which isn’t overripe – will undoubtedly give these wines greater longevity, and the intensity of Douro reds lend them well to long ageing periods. It feels as though the Douro is in a transition period – transitioning from a mentality for producing grapes destined for Port (where a bit of overripe fruit is actually a good thing) to a focus on high-quality dry wine production and capturing the distinct terroir of the Douro in a glass while remaining fresh and vibrant. These are also grapes that are completely off the beaten track; there’s no other reference for producers to refer to, so self-discovery is the only way forward.
Niepoort Batuta 2015
Made with vines between 80 and 130 years old, this field blend produces a low yield each year. Niepoort harvests early to achieve freshness and this vintage is just 12.5% alcohol, which is a mean feat for a hot continental climate. The wine is aged for a long period in oak (in this case 22 months) although the nose isn’t overshadowed by its oak-ageing but rather expresses floral notes and the freshness of crunchy red fruit and graphite with a long finish. This is a wine of tension and energy.
Quinta do S. Jose Grande Reserva 2015
This wine comes from Quinta do Sao Jose, from their oldest vineyard (75 years old) planted on schist and iron soils. The wine is deep purple in colour and has a blend of 25 varieties including Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. The resulting wine has attractive floral and wild herb notes but also spice and dark fruit, with a balanced – and long – finish.
Quinta do Passadouro Reserva 2015
This single-vineyard wine comes from 70-year-old vines, which form a field blend of over 30 varieties, although Touriga Franca is the dominant variety in the vineyard. Aged for 18 months in barrel, this is an intense and complex wine with spiced red fruit and some violet notes. The finish is long, spicy and dry with firm tannins, which will preserve this wine for decades to come.
Quinta do Vallado Reserva Field Blend 2010
This was a challenging year in the quinta but winemaker Francisco Ferreira says that the strength of this wine comes from the 100-year-old vines. It is a field blend of around 45 different varieties and they manage the vineyard organically. This wine shows some age on the nose, revealing more savoury notes of black olive, matured fruit and meaty spice, however, on the palate, there is still freshness and vibrancy, which show the true potential for ageing Douro red wines.
Wine & Soul, Quinta da Monoella VV 2015
This wine comes from a 60-hectare property in the Cima Corgo, which has just 20 hectares planted with vines and is surrounded by 40 hectares of forest that give the vines a different mesoclimate – more humid and cooler. This wine has a brightness of red fruit and light forest herb aromatics. It has quite a pretty nose and more feminine aromatics. On the palate, there is a fresh and spicy finish with bright fruit and a silky finish.
Quinta da Boavista, Vinha Do Ujo 2014
This wine comes from rocky, stony, schist soil with a northern facing vineyard with 90+ year old vines. This wine has a smokier, ash and mineral aroma on the nose, with a dark complexity. In the palate there is a tension of fine-grained tannin which holds together the darker fruit.
Alves de Sousa, Abandonado Tinto 2013
This wine is called ‘abandoned’ because it was an old vineyard that was abandoned for many years. The family were planning to dynamite it to start again, but they gave the vines one last chance in 2004 and fell in love with the character. Today they make wines from their low-yielding 85-year-old vines. The wine is quite young (and needs time to open up) on the nose but much more expressive in the mouth with a tangle of red fruit and chewy tannins.
White: New Douro wines to try
Douro whites have an uphill battle. Many drinkers are looking for white wines with high acidity and freshness and, in a wine region like the Douro, that is slightly harder to achieve. But the challenge has driven producers to new heights in the Douro – planting at altitudes above 600m. The site selection going into some of the Douro’s top whites is what is revolutionising the category. I tasted some excellent white wines that have complexity, length and weight without being overly fruity or unnecessarily oaked.
On trying some older vintages, it’s also impressive to see how well they age (a 2011 Duas Quintas from Ramos Pintos, for example, tasted as tropical and fresh as the new vintage). White Douro wines are definitely a category to watch.
Niepoort, Coche 2016
An elegant wine that is driven by its weight in the mouth and mineral-driven style. Still delicate in its youth but surely a wine which will age nicely, letting its nuances develop into dominant characteristics. This is an old-vine field blend with predominantly Rabigato, Códega do Larinho and Arinto grapes grown at high altitudes (600-750m) on schist soils.
Alves de Sousa Pessoal White 2011
I’m a sucker for old white wines, and this white blend shows evolved aromas of nuts and honey with a savoury palate that offers structure and complexity. I wouldn’t cellar this much longer, but I’d enjoy it now with a well-aged dry Portuguese cheese.
Quinta do Crasto, Crasto Superiore White 2016
With creamy notes overriding the fresh floral and white orchard fruit aromas, this is a mouthwatering blend of Viosinho and Verdelho. Full-bodied but with bright aromas and freshness, this is a very appetising wine. You can catch their lees-rolling technique in this video.
Quinta Vale D. Maria, Vinha de Martim White 2017
This white blend from 80-year-old vines has real weight to the palate while maintaining bright citrus aromatics and a zesty acidity. This is a bigger food wine that would sit nicely along many different – bigger – dishes on the table.
Quinta Vale D. Maria, CV White 2017
Old vines grown at high altitude and a diverse blend of grapes make this wine complex and engaging. It is full-bodied with a richness and creamy texture while the fruit and floral expressions keep it youthful and bright. Delicious wine.
Wine & Soul, Manoella White 2017
This is a spritzy white with refreshing acidity, bright fruit notes and a clean, mineral finish. It’s a simple style but pulled off with great aplomb. A thirst-quencher.
Wine & Soul, Guru White 2017
This is the more complex partner to Manoella. There’s an elegant style to this blend from 50-year-old indigenous varieties. The vibrant and youthful feel almost lets the mineral weight and complexity go by unnoticed, but the impressive finish makes you think twice. This wine really shines, although in a fashionably modest way.
