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).
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.
The Factory House in Portugal’s famed port-producing city of Porto is a stunning piece of architecture that was created to facilitate British businessmen conducting trade in Portuguese goods. While not generally open to the public, Iberian Wine Tours was able to arrange a private tour as well as a tasting of vintage port from their cellars and to learn more about the history of the port wine trade.
A visit to the city of Port (sometimes called Oporto in Portugal) and Gaia, its sister city directly across the river, is more than just a beautiful must-see European destination. For Port wine lovers it’s the mecca; an essential pilgrimage to the birthplace of the deliciously rich, sweet wine fortified with Brandy. One of the oldest, and arguably most influential Port Houses, is that of Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman (more widely referred to as Taylor’s) which celebrates its 330th anniversary this year.
Port is a deliciously rich, sweet wine made from various grapes, grown in Portugal’s Douro Valley, that is fortified with brandy. It can make one of the most age-worthy wines, with top examples lasting half a century and beyond. It’s definitely a connoisseur’s wine, prized by collectors and laid down for decades in cool dark cellars, but there are also many excellent ports that are quite affordable and ready to drink now. Port is a delicious drink; one that is well worth learning more about. Though Port-style wines are made in many areas, we will focus here on just those wines made in Portugal.
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