Douro

The Demarcated Region of Douro extends along the Douro River and its tributaries over an area of approximately 250,000 hectares between Barqueiros and Barca d’Alva. This region originates from the territorial delimitation of 1756, the date of the first demarcation of the ‘Vines of Alto Douro,’ which globally defined the first institutional model for organizing a wine region. Originally established to regulate the production of fortified wine, known as ‘Port wine,’ today the Demarcated Region of Douro encompasses the Controlled Designation of Origin for Port and Douro wines. It is divided into three sub-regions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior.

Wine production in this region is a testament to human determination and resourcefulness. The vineyards were planted in a terrain marked by steep slopes and a scarcity of soil and water. The vines that cover the hillsides rise from the Douro River and form an immense staircase of terraces, which, in the words of Orlando Ribeiro, is the most admirable human work one can see in Portugal.

A land of stark contrasts, the Douro is marked by the schistous mountains of Marão and Montemuro, which protect it from Atlantic winds while opening it up to Mediterranean and continental influences. The Douro River and its tributaries, flowing through deep valleys, create a landscape characterized by significant temperature variations, with very hot summers and harsh winters.

The monumentality of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro landscape has universal value. In 2001, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.