We wonder whether god created the Douro as a test. It gave the region poor soils and a mountainous terrain, scorching Summers and freezing Winters. But if humans persevered and made a living in this land, they would be rewarded with magnificent wines.
The soil, composed of schist and granite, forces the vines to struggle and produce small grapes that are full of flavor. No one believed more in these grapes than Dona Antónia Ferreira. She made a fortune producing port wine in the beginning of the 18th century and reinvested it all in the Douro, owning at one point 37 vineyards.
This Summer we had the privilege of visiting one of these vineyards, the Quinta do Vallado, which dates back to 1716. We toured the cellars and tasted some of the quinta’s great table wines.
At the end of our visit, we drank some wonderful old tawny port. With our glasses full of this golden nectar, we toasted the people of the Douro and their magnificent wines.
Quinta do Vallado is located in Vilarinho dos Freires, Peso da Régua, tel. 254 323 147. Click here for their web site.
Salt of Portugal 
It looks amazing! I’m hoping to spend some time in Portugal this summer. Got any more winery/vineyard tips? Love the blog 🙂
Thanks for visiting our blog. Here is a list of our favorite wines. http://buff.ly/1Qu9ASE There are many, many wineries worth visiting. Near Lisbon Quinta da Chocapalha and Quinta de Monde d’oiro are great choices. We love Adega Mayor in Alentejo. The quintas in the Douro are amazing.
Wonderful! Thanks for this.
Reblogged this on The Portugal Years and commented:
Portugal is a country where you can find many different terrains and beautiful vistas.
So that’s the story of the Ferreira port wine brand? I lived in Portugal for one semester last year and it’s a truly beautiful and magical place. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Ferreira was named after Dona Antónia Ferreira. You can read more about her in this post: http://buff.ly/1QBirbk
Great post!
Can you please give me your email?
Thanks,