PORTUGAL

16 September 2009

Poava de Varzim

It is blowing a hoolie today. We moved the boat into the marina yesterday evening after she had dragged her anchor and we felt safer as it is such a small harbour.


PORTO

Yesterday we took the metro into Porto which took around 50 minutes. Grapes are grown to produce the port some way up the river Douro and have been grown there since pre-Roman times. They would have the tourist believe that after the wine is produced (the finest vintage being tread by foot) it is transported 100 miles down the river on the boats pictured to cool lodges at Oporto where it is put in casks to age. We did find out that it is actually transported by lorry these days, a 2½ hr journey. Although they said the finest vintage was still tread by foot.

The boats that carry the casks containing the Port down the river. They have a Viking appearance as the Vikings were in Porto long ago.

View across the river to the distilleries



Steep hills to walk up to get there so thirsty work

We walked up some very steep hills to go get to Taylors est. 1692 (Taylors, Yeatman and Fladgate these days as recommended in the pilot book) and learned all about the different types of Port, Chip dry, LBV, Tawny and Vintage and got to taste a couple of ample sized samples. On top of that the tour was free! So we bought a glass of 10 yr old and 20 yr old to try after the tour and I would like to say I could really tell the difference.....but I might be lying! Keith thinks he could detect some difference, so we just bought a couple of bottles of reserve (cheap one).

Taylors aging premises




They had 3 million litres in these barrels in this one room!

Keith continuing 'the education'

We then thought we would try Crofts (just for market research of course), so we had to walk further up the hill to try their tour and free tasting (glasses nothing like as full as Taylors if you ever go there!) Apparently the higher up the hill they are the longer established they are as the prime spots are high up the hill. For you Port buffs Taylors was the 4th, above them were Croft, then Sandeman,s then can’t remember the highest, never walked that far! (I told you we only went for the education).

Crofts tasters

One or two barrels of Crofts (can't get one of them in your handbag!)