| The Douro Valley. If theres a more dramatic vineyard area on earth, I can't think of one. Richard Woodard, WINE & SPIRIT INTERNATIONAL, Dec 2005 Portugal's Douro Valley is one of the most spectacular wine growing regions in the world. Its beauty is the result of many centuries of work by the river Douro itself, carving steep, towering banks into the landscape, and by the inhabitants of this region, who centuries ago began the nearly impossible task of planting vineyards here. Forming terraces on these rocky slopes was difficult enough, but the harsh climate and limited rainfall, characteristic of the Douro Valley, made the work of viticulture a difficult enterprise indeed. The rewards of this labour are the superb wines of the Douro, wines that have taken their place among the best in the world. The Douro Valley's unique terroir is largely defined by its schistous soil, extremes of temperature and altitude, and its stunning terraced vineyards on the slopes above the Douro River. Numerous indigenous grape varietals can be found here such as Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional to name but a few, all somehow finding a way to survive in the harsh conditions of the Douro Valley. Rainfall is often well below the average of Portugals other wine growing regions, and extreme temperature variations, rising to above 40ºC (104ºF) in the summer and dropping to below freezing in the winter, create conditions in which only the hardiest grape varietals can survive. These unique conditions and varietals produce a wine that is concentrated and rich, with ripe fruit flavours underpinned by satisfying tannins, subtle hints of esteva*, pepper and Douro earth. Altano is a superb example of this style and is a wine of great complexity and depth that is wonderful as a food accompaniment or enjoyed on its own. Altano is produced by the Symington family, known for their long and distinguished history of producing premium Vintage Ports in the Douro, under such labels as Grahams, Warres, Dows and Quinta do Vesuvio. As a natural extension of their interest in and dedication to making Port, the Symingtons began producing Douro DOC table wines seriously in 1999, applying their skill and expertise to ensure that the results reflect their tradition of making the worlds finest wines. Today seven members of the Symington family are involved in the business, personally managing all aspects of winemaking from the vineyard to the final bottling of the wines. The Douro Valley is the oldest demarcated wine-growing region in the world and due to its incredibly rich history, beauty and social culture it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. *Esteva, or Gum Cistus, is an indigenous Douro shrub related to the Rock Rose, with distinct floral and pine resin aromas. |