Porto and the Duoro Wine Region

Bridge over Duoro in Porto

Then it was on to Porto for more art and more Fado. Our visit was very short - one day - but we walked down to the river port and admired the iron bridge built by an Eiffel disciple. (I drank a glass of chilled white port as we watched the boats sailing by on the Douro River. As Martha, Ian and I walked up and down the hilly streets we admired lots of fantastic tile facades and decorative ironwork on the balconies. Porto is a very lively city with a vibrant contemporary art, music and design scene. I saw lots of gorgeous tile work, ceramics and fused glass. It was explained to me that the tile and ceramic traditions trace back to Arab influences and the glass art traditions stem from Roman influences. In a crafts shop near the river port, I bought a fused glass pendant and two fused glass rings. I plan to send them to my niece who makes fused glass plates and candle holders.

Tile and Iron Railings in Porto

Although there are lots of Fado bars and clubs near the river, we went to a restaurant down the street to see Joanna Costa, who was really terrific. She gave an extended performance/concert that lasted close to an hour. My dinner was a bacalau dish my Puerto Rican grandmother used to prepare - one of my favorites. It was a simple preparation of cod with boiled potatoes, sauteed onions and a hard boiled egg - all bathed in olive oil. This is definitely an example of cucina povera - uncomplicated comfort food. I will return to Porto anytime: beautiful, interesting city with good food.

On to the wine country in the Douro River Valley. We drove the very long, time-consuming scenic route and while the views were breathtaking, the trip took way longer than we expected. We didn't realize that the highway would have cut the trip in half and we still would have seen some scenic views towards the end. Next time!

Quinto do Pego

We arrived at our winery hotel around 5:00 - just in time for a quick swim, a little rest and then dinner. The Quinta do Pego is a working winery with a boutique hotel of 10 rooms (but one is always reserved for the Danish owner) reception rooms, dining for the guests and an infinity edge pool with a view of he river and the terraced hills. The hotel is sited in the hills so the rooms command views of the Douro and the vine covered hills. The landscaping includes lush flowers, fruit trees and lots of seating areas for relaxing and enjoying the river vistas.

Pool with a View

Each morning Martha and I would begin with a hike into the hill-side vinyards, then a swim because it would begin to be quite warm by 10:00 - 11:00 am. Then a lunch of smoked meats, cheeses and fresh fruit on the terrace followed by excursions: mostly tastings at the local wineries. Our hotel arranged a private lunch/wine tasting at a nearby winery - Quinta do Vallado. We were told the menu offered two entrees: cod with corn bread or roast beef. Martha and I said we would have the cod and our husbands would have roast beef. Quinto do Vallado, one of the oldest wineries in the valley, sits just a bit above the river with its vineyards climbing the hills to the rear of the guest rooms and the winery. We were seated in a vine covered pergola. We started with olives and sliced hams and cured sausages. Then a course of a Portuguese speciality - duck rice - a pilaf layered with slices of roasted duck. I guess we misunderstood them because we were each served the Portuguese speciality - baked bacalau with a cornbread crust. The cod was suculent and the cornbread topping was buttery and heavenly. Then we were served a beautifully rare filet of beef with a port jus, accompanied by sliced roasted potatoes and salad. Simple but absolutely fantastic. Then a platter of luscious peaches, apricots and cherries. All of this paired with the Quinta's very fine wines.



View of the Duoro  with Grape Vine

It started to drizzle so we moved inside to the dining room for dessert - a baked cream (much like panna cotto) with a burnt sugar topping - panna cotto brulee? Of course, this was paired with a delicious port. Then we were led to the sleek, modern winery to see the barrels and bottles stacked in the underground cellars. We purchased a few bottles to bring home and paid our tab for lunch - 50 euros or about $65 each. Amazing. The menu wasn't particularly fancy or inventive, but everything was prepared and presented with utmost care and near perfection.

Because Ian doesn't drink, wine tasting doesn't hold much fascination but great food does. Impressed by our lunch, he was eager to try a restaurant touted by the food critics - DOC - just down the road from our lodgings. DOC is housed in a modern, jewel box building right on the Douro river. Its floor to ceiling windows offer stunning views of the river and the surrounding vineyards. The riverside terrace offers al fresco dining in warm weather or is ideal for sunset cocktails. Rui Paula, the star chef of this contemporary restaurant offers food that is a far cry from traditional Portuguese cuisine. His forward-thinking menu offers octopus carpaccio, juicy veal, superb foi gras, and traditional salt cod with Mozambican prawns. Those of us who drink, enjoyed great regional wines with our dinner. Ian was very happy. The "wow" factor of DOC is huge but I didn't feel the joy I experienced at our lunch at Quinta do Vallado. Maybe because our lunch had been a private affair, with total pampering.


Our last day was spent on a  leisurely boat trip up the Duoro. The steep banks are terraced with vineyards and here and there are wineries and hotels. We sipped a chilled white wine provided by our captain as we gazed at the gorgeous scenery and the gray green waters of the Duoro. I love the Tuscan wine countryside with its outcropping of hill towns amid the rolling hills but there is something quite majestic about the Duoro as it slices and winds through the steep hills of this valley. It is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.






Martha & Ian