A Private Taste of the Douro Valley at Carvalhas
The best kind of field trip: beautiful views and plenty of wine
After arriving in Pinhão by train and checking into the gorgeous Vintage House Hotel, we had one more important item on the agenda for the day: wine.
Specifically, a private vineyard tour and tasting at Quinta das Carvalhas.
Getting there was easy, and part of the fun, as all we had to do was stroll across the bridge from our hotel. The river and surrounding hills provided a pretty spectacular backdrop along the way.
It was very hot when we arrived in Pinhão. In fact, it is typically one of the hottest places in all of Europe, so stepping into the air-conditioned tasting room to wait for our tour was very welcome. We were happy to briefly enjoy the modern miracle of indoor temperature control before heading back out into the oven. Pro-tip: the private vineyard tour is in an air conditioned van, whereas the group tour is in an open-top vehicle.
Established in 1759, Quinta das Carvalhas is one of the most iconic and largest estates in the Douro region. Owned in part by the royal family of Portugal, their vineyards stretch high above the valley, with stunning views of the river below.
Our tour guide, Rute, was excellent and made learning about the estate and how they grow and harvest the grapes genuinely interesting. Having a private tour gave us a chance to see the property up close and take our time enjoying the scenery.
The landscape is beautiful, but it also makes it pretty clear that growing grapes here has never been for people who were looking for an easy living. The steep, rocky hillsides are stunning to look at, and presumably considerably less charming when you have to work them.
One of the interesting tidbits about the estate was that they are a UNESCO site, which has rules about using biodiversity to manage their crop. Orange trees, rosemary, and lilac are planted to ward off insects, and roses are the “canary in the coal mine” for any incoming issues of pests or disease.
Maybe the most surprising thing we learned was that most of the vinyards in Europe have American roots.
In the mid-19th century, European vineyards were devastated by a root-destroying aphid accidentally introduced from North America. Because American vines had co-evolved with the pest, their roots were naturally resistant to it. To save their wine industries, European growers grafted their susceptible vines onto the aphid-resistant American rootstocks.
So, first we mucked things up… then we helped fix it.
Of course, the real reward at the end of any vineyard tour is the tasting.
We sampled five of the wines produced by Carvalhas, learning more about the different varieties and the characteristics that make the Douro Valley such a unique wine region. And while we certainly appreciated the educational portion of the experience, we were also perfectly happy to do our part by reducing their stock.
I have to give Shawn credit for the planning on this trip. He has done an incredible job (as usual) at finding experiences that go beyond simply showing up at the most popular attractions, and this private tour was a perfect example.
We tasted 1 white, 2 reds, and 2 ports, and were surprised that the 20-year-old Tawny Port was our favorite by far. At our port tasting earlier in the trip, we had enjoyed the small sips but didn’t think we would ever actually buy a bottle.
This one changed our minds.
It was rich, caramelly, and complex, with just the right amount of sweetness. In other words, it was apparently the port that finally convinced us we were port people.
It was a wonderful experience, getting out into the landscape and spending time in one of the estates that helps define the region.
By the time we left, we had a lot more wine knowledge, as well as a significantly higher blood alcohol level.
Thank goodness we were walking home.
Saúde!
Very interesting re the pest control approach in the vineyard!
What a beautiful place!