John Wilson: Producers from this port wine stronghold have started to make unfortified red and white wines
A trip by train, boat or car to Douro river valley will be memorable even to those not interested in winewill be familiar to many Irish tourists. Sadly, not all visitors find the time to head upriver to enjoy one of the world’s great vineyards.
The Douro has always been famous for port, a sweet, fortified wine that is one of the wine world’s great treasures. The vineyards are even more spectacular, steep terraces rising several hundred metres from the river studded whitewashed quintas and granite outcrops. A trip by train, boat or car will be memorable even to those not interested in wine.
In recent years, producers have started to make unfortified red and white wines. Some of these are very good. As well as full-bodied red wines there are lighter reds, rosés and surprisingly fresh delicate white wines from cooler high-altitude vineyards. The Douro is home to dozens of indigenous grape varieties, most of which can produce quality wines in the right hands.
I have already featured Douro wines from Niepoort and Luis Seabra, two of my favourite Portuguese producers. Their wines are available in many leading wine shops. Space did not allow me to include the Gambozinos 2019 , a great example of the more full-bodied style. In addition, Lidl has four wines from the Douro. I would recommend the Parcelas white and the Isolado Red . Aldi also has two red Douro wines from Animus that are worth checking out.
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