Portugal is a small country with a big wine story. From the terraced hillsides of the Douro Valley to the sunny plains of Alentejo, it makes some of the world's most distinctive wines, and a good bottle usually costs far less than its peers from Napa or Bordeaux.
Which Portuguese wine region should you visit first? Start with the Douro Valley, the UNESCO World Heritage region where port was born. Pair it with the vineyards just outside Lisbon, and you can taste vintage port, sail the river on a Rabelo boat and still sleep in a five-star hotel in Porto.
Key facts
- Top regions: the Douro Valley for port and terraced vineyards, Alentejo for its wide sunny plains, and the vineyards around Lisbon.
- Getting there: fly into Lisbon, then take the first-class fast train to Porto, the gateway to the Douro.
- Where to stay: Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa and The Rebello in Porto, both five-star.
- Caviar trip:The Portugal Experience, a 7-day private trip hosted by a wine expert.
The Douro Valley: Where Port Was Born
Photo: Maksym Kaharlytskyi / Unsplash
The Douro Valley is Portugal's most famous wine region. UNESCO listed the Alto Douro Wine Region as a World Heritage site in 2001, and its steep terraced vineyards run all the way down to the river. Port comes from here, and so do some of the country's best dry reds, made from grapes like Touriga Nacional. I think it's one of the most beautiful wine regions on Earth.
Lisbon's Wine Country
You don't have to go far from the capital to taste well. The Lisboa wine region wraps around the city, and the Alenquer area, about an hour north, is home to family estates like Quinta de Chocapalha. Closer in, Colares grows vines in sand by the Atlantic, and Bucelas is known for crisp whites made from Arinto. It's an easy first taste of Portugal before you head north.
Alentejo: Sunshine and Clay Pots
Alentejo covers a huge, hot stretch of southern Portugal, with cork oaks, olive groves and generous, ripe reds. It's also where winemakers still ferment wine in big clay pots called talhas, a tradition that goes back to Roman times. The style has its own official name, Vinho de Talha DOC, created in 2010, and many cellars open their first talha wines around St. Martin's Day on November 11. Our group trip doesn't go to Alentejo, so it's a lovely add-on if you have a few extra days.
How We Taste Portugal on Our Trip
On The Portugal Experience, a wine expert hosts the whole week. In Lisbon you spend a wine day at Quinta de Chocapalha, with a tasting and lunch, then tapas and a tasting at Quinta de Sant'Ana. Dinner at Taberna Moderna comes with paired wines.
There's a rooftop dinner at SEEN in Lisbon too, and a hosted Afro-Lisbon walking tour that ends at an Angolan table.
Then the first-class fast train carries you north to Porto. Your Douro day starts with a vintage port tasting at Quinta do Bomfim. Lunch is by Michelin-starred chef Pedro Lemos, followed by a private Rabelo boat cruise and a tasting at Quinta dos Murças. The farewell dinner is at The Yeatman.
Before you go, read my luxury guide to Porto and the Douro Valley and my guide to Portuguese food and wine.
Ready to taste what you've been missing? Join us on our next Portugal Wine + Dine experience.
Wine & Dine
Wine & Dine
Wine & Dine