Douro Valley Sunrise

Quinta Da Côrte, Portugal

The remarkable Douro River flows more than 550 miles, through Spain and across Portugal. The Portuguese section of the river has carved the beautiful Douro Valley and is famed for its unique terroir and visually stunning terraced vineyards. The Douro wine region is focused in the Douro River Valley and the valleys of the Douro’s primary tributaries, the Varosa, Corgo, Távora, Torto and Pinhāo Rivers. This region is often divided into three sub-regions, Douro Superior( Upper Douro) Cima Corgo( above the Corgo River) and Baixo Corgo( Below the Corgo River). These three sub-regions are comprise the “Alto Douro” which was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 2001 because ” its long tradition has produced a cultural landscape of outstanding beauty that is at the same time a reflection of its technological, social, and economic evolution.”  The Cima Corgo subregion of the Alto Douro is centered around the town of Pinhāo an includes most of the famous Quintas in the Alto Douro region.

During a recent trip to Portugal my wife and I were fortunate enough to spend three nights at Quinta Da Côrte located in the Cima Corgo subregion of the Alto Douro wine region of Portugal.

Quinta Da Côrte and its surrounding area were sublime, an elegant blend of natural beauty and magnificently curated patterns of vineyards and terraces. I was mesmerized by both the enchanting patterns of the landscape as well as the quality of its wines.

Wine has been cultivated in the Douro River Valley for 2,000 years but the region has largely been know for the production of Port wine since the signing of the Methuen Treaty in 1703 which lowered the English duties placed on Portuguese wines by one third their previous levels as well as the elimination of Portuguese duties on imported English woolen cloths. Essentially, England’s thirst for wine in the midst of war with France helped promote the development of the Port wine industry in the Douro Valley!