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The Reserve Collection
Quinta do Crasto was one of the most famous estates in the Douro in the 19th Century. It is not surprising therefore that since the export restrictions on the Douro Quintas were lifted following Portugals accession into the European Union, that Crasto should be one of the most brilliant wines to emerge. Quinta do Vale do Meão produce one of the outstanding table wines to be found in the Douro, this is unsurprising when you know that it used to go to make Ferreiras iconic Barca Velha. At dinner we hope to be joined by two talented wine makers of the new generation, Jorge Borges and Sandra Tavares. As husband and wife team they have a joint project, Pintas, a superb table wine from near Pinhão. In their day jobs, Sandra makes the wines and ports for Cristiano Van Zellers Quinta do Vale D. Maria and Jorge is wine maker at the Quinta do Passadouro. Interestingly in all their projects, the LBVs and even lowly ruby Ports are un½ltered and can be aged. Also they make no Tawny. Our last night is in Oporto staying at the 5* Infante do Sagres and dinner is as guests of Taylors lodge in Vila Nova. There are many small Port lodges over in Vila Nova and one gets the feeling that some of these must contain lost treasure. Most dont, but our last tasting at the lodge of Andresen is of all you would hope for, old Colheitas and ancient Tawnies. The Wine Guide is Charles Metcalfe.
The Douro at Pinhão
Port Reserve
Monday 6 - Friday 10 October
Port, perceived as one of the most traditional of all wine regions, is actually one of the most dynamic and fastest moving. There are some Quintas who take their table wines more seriously than their Ports and even some who produce no Port at all even though they are in the heart of the classic region and are permitted to do so. We stay at Quinta de la Rosa in Pinhão and it is ½tting that we start with their wines and ports over dinner.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Meet Oporto Airport. from ¾ight TAP at 16.30. Tasting. Dinner. Private Quinta hotel 3*/4*. Visits & lunch in Cima Corgo. Dinner at Noval. Visits & lunch in Douro Superior. Tasting dinner. Visits & lunch in Cima Corgo. Dinner at Taylors. Visit in Vila Nova. Early PM transfer to airport.
On the ½rst day we visit the Symingtons, taking the train to Quinta do Vesuvio, Dona Antonia Ferreiras great 19th century property recently restored. Vesuvio produces a wine every year much as a chateau would. Other Symington quintas such as Dows Quinta do Bom½m are not bottled in the top years as their wines go to make the lodges Vintage. We lunch at Dows Bom½m with a tasting of other Symington wines. Dinner tonight is at Quinta do Noval over which we will taste the Nacional port made from Novals pre-phylloxera vines and Cedro their stunning new table wine. So much is happening in the Douro and Charles is excited to be taking you to these dynamic estates during harvest. There will be special visits to Ramos Pinto in the Douro Superior and Niepoort which was one of the ½rst lodges to seriously embrace the idea of making high quality table wines in the Douro.
Includes
3 nights Private Quinta, (3/4* equivalent). 1 night 5*. hotel, breakfasts, 7 meals with wines. Coach transfers to & from Oporto airport. Taxi, boat, train & vineyard workers truck! Visits & tastings. Signed copy of The Food & Wine Lovers Guide to Portugal, by Charles Metcalfe (per booking) Wine Guide & Tour Manager. Maximum party size, 18.
Meet at Price £ pp Sole occupancy Deposit £ pp Room Upgrade
40
Oporto
1899
75
300
60
Oporto
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inbro