We arrived in Porto on Sunday afternoon after a long flight from San Francisco. Our hotel is located on the edge of the Douro River in the old part of Porto. Our first night we stayed at Pestana Porto, then traveled up the river via a train to the heart of the Douro DOC (post to follow) and tonight we are back in Porto before we head off to Rioja to visit Marques de Caceres.
The history of Porto is long and storied. Its first known inhabitants are believed to have settled around 600 B.C. Throughout its history it has produced wine and lots of it. The "boom" for Porto did not really begin until the late 1600's when the English, being at continuous war with France, were cut off from their precious clarets of Bordeaux and needed a supply of wine to keep the island happy. In 1670 two enterprising Englishmen set up shop in Viana do Castelo (up river from Porto) and started a general trading company called Burgoyne & Jackson exporting all sorts of goods to England. Burgoyne & Jackson became very successful, setting off a wave of Brit expats to Porto and the Douro River Valley to seek their fortune. In 1703 England and Portugal signed a treaty that would further increase the trade between the two countries and establish the historical bond between the two that continues to this day. This is just a touch of the history that this region has and it has forever shaped the people, land and wine.
Calem's Lodge - this is directly across from the hotel. The lodges are all up and down the river.
A view of the old city of Porto (FYI: The English call it Oporto, not the Portugese...just learned that one).
Damn the Pig Flu...full speed ahead! Above is the spread that was set on every table at Adegae Presuntaria Tansmontana, a regional cusine restaurant that was fantastic. In addition to our starters we enjoyed a roasted octopus and a grilled partridge. Our wines were an amzing Vinho Verde from Irmaes Albeiro 2007 and a red from Alentejano produced by Casa dos Zagalos 2005. Try as we might after our meal the jet lag caught up and we all crashed hard and enjoyed our nice soft beds.
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