A beautiful winery to visit.
Portugual’s Douro Valley has a storied wine history that dates back centuries, most notably from the time of its demarcation as a region in 1756. One of the original properties within that demarcation is Quinta da Pacheca which we were lucky enough to visit just a few short months ago.
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Inside the cellar at Bomfim.
The name Symington is synonymous with producing high quality Port wine over several generations. Today, the family owns and operates 4 of the world’s most renowned Port houses: Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, and Cockburn’s. Quinta do Bomfim was purchased by Dow’s in 1896 and has the distinction of producing two of the most sought after vintage ports by collectors: the 2007 Dow’s Vintage Port (a 100-point wine as per Wine Spectator) and the 2011 Dow’s Vintage Port (ranked by WS as the best wine in the world in 2014).
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The view at Quinta do Noval.
Last November we took our first international trip almost 2 years to the day of our last. We chose Portugal for two main reasons: its world-leading vaccination rate at the time combined with the fact that it was very near the top of our wine region bucket list. For years we had heard of the Douro Valley with its steep, terraced vineyards that are so unique the entire region is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. But until you see it in person, no photo seems able to grasp its staggering beauty.
The very first winery we visited was Quinta do Noval, situated in the very heart of the Douro Valley, with the most breathtaking winery view we’ve witnessed yet.
Read MoreJust a few hours upon landing in Porto it happened quicker than either of us imagined.
Portugal’s food scene is world-class.
We sat down for our first meal in Portugal made up of Bacalhoa (salted codfish) along with a sampling of local wines, and we were captivated…hook, line, and sinker. The food scene, while often overshadowed by the popularity of Port and the rising appreciation of the country’s still wines, is absolutely worthy of its own recognition. Portugal’s gastronomy is steeped in tradition, defined by variety, and has put the world on notice thanks to its popular Celebrity Chefs and abundance of Michelin-rated restaurants.
Read MoreWe’re kicking off 2022 with a video AdVINEture highlighting an incredible trip to Portugal we took with Iberian Wine Tours. We started in Porto, explored the Douro Valley, and finally ended up in Lisbon. The country is a fantastic travel destination whether you’re a wine lover or not that features a staggering amount of variety. Stunning scenery, terrific wine, a fabulous foodie scene and very welcoming people await…
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