Among the mountains and valleys of the Douro wine region, where Portugal meets Spain, something spectacular is happening. New vineyards, new owners and new wines are emerging in an area that was relatively inaccessible just 30 years ago.
A Little History
In 1756 the Douro became one of the world's first demarcated wine regions, by decree of the Marquis of Pombal, Portugal's prime minister, to stop British merchants importing wines from outside the Douro and labelling them as Douro. The Douro Superior was so remote that this spectacular area was only demarcated as part of the Douro in 1907. Its history, however, goes back much further.
At the heart of the Douro Superior lie the remarkable UNESCO-listed rock engravings of Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Although only officially recognised in the 1990s, they date from around 20,000 BC, making them some of the oldest in the world. Their presence underlines the palpable, still-living antiquity of the region.
Producers Exploring the Douro Superior
The Douro Superior's drier, hotter climate gives its wines extra volume and an aromatic component that sets them apart from other sub-regions.
Winemakers from the Douro's traditional heartland, Cima Corgo, have been heading to the Douro Superior, seizing the chance to expand in a place with ideal conditions, including granite and schist soils, to meet growing demand for Douro wines.
The same grapes are planted in the Douro Superior as in Cima Corgo, notably Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Sousão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão. Touriga Nacional is the dominant variety, while the oldest vineyards contain a bewildering mix of more than 30 varieties.
Names such as Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Vallado and Quinta de la Rosa now make wine here. Outside investors in Colinas do Douro have also bought land. The Symington family, which owns the largest vineyard area in the Douro, has vineyards along the Douro river and over 200 hectares in the Vilariça valley along the Sabor river. Other new projects, such as the Marques family's Conceito, have come from local growers who started bottling their own wine.
Sophia Bergqvist, owner of Quinta de la Rosa, bought Quinta das Bandeiras in 2005. She says the wines made there under the Passagem label "have a seduction and exuberance that always surprise. They are voluptuous, with intense aromas, but at the same time great balance and freshness."
Heading upriver, the Douro Superior's dramatic landscape begins at the Valeira dam. A remote, rocky country, it is a wild and inhospitable place.
These mountains block half the rain coming in from the Atlantic, below the already modest amount in Cima Corgo. The result is that the Douro Superior is arid. Most vineyards are planted close to the rivers, either the broad Douro or its tributaries, where the vines can benefit from the moisture and higher humidity.
As new producers arrived, existing ones raised the quality of their wines, as is clear with the Olazabal family at Quinta do Vale Meão. Descendants of Dona Antónia Ferreira, who bought and planted the estate in 1877, they have maximised its potential for Douro wines, recognising that the lower-lying land is "excellent for Douro wines, though not so good for Port".
We've selected some incredible Douro Superior wines for you to try:
