douro

The Douro region is located in the Northeast of Portugal, surrounded by the Marão and Montemuro mountains. The wine-growing area occupies about 40,000 hectares, although the region extends for about 250,000 hectares. The Douro River and its tributaries, such as Tua and Corgo, run in deep valleys and most plantations are embedded in river basins.

Duriense soils are essentially composed of Shale-Grauváquico although, in some areas, there are granite soils. These soils are particularly difficult to work with and in the Douro the difficulty is aggravated by the strong slope of the terrain. On the other hand, these soils are beneficial for the longevity of the vineyards and allow more concentrated sugar and color musts.

The vineyards are located from the top of the deep valleys to the river bank and create a magnificent landscape recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2001. The admirable scenery combines the excellence of the wines produced in the three sub-regions of the Douro: Baixo Corgo to the west, Cima Corgo in the center and Douro Superior to the east.