I don’t have a fantastic recollection of today and (sadly) it’s not because of the wine.
We met our driver, Carlos (the 3rd), at 9:30am and he took us to the first winery, Quinta Do Vallado. Set back from the Douro River in Régua, about half an hour from Pinhão, Quinta do Vallado is a wine estate established over 300 years ago. Though it has been around for hundreds of years, it features a modern complex known for its dramatic architectural design. I recall being told something about letting gravity do the work when it comes to turning grapes into wine. I also remember some yummy wines at the end of the tour. It’s just the in-between space which I am hazy on.
We had lunch at a little converted railway station place by the river in Pinhão (we had steak to share, chips and salad - yum). The setting was stunning (and the chips were lush) but I only had about 20 minutes to eat before a conference call which then lasted an hour and a half!
The next winery was Quinta Do Seixo on the south bank of the River Duoro. I remember almost nothing about this one.
Finally, we visited Quinta Nova, a beautiful vineyard complex known for its restaurant and stunning views of the surrounding valley. It has a wine making museum which is pretty interesting. I remember a moment, after the wine tasting, when I had just electronically signed the affidavit/statement I’d been working on all day and, having done so, I looked up to see the beautiful view over the river. The wine was nice and we took a few minutes to soak up the atmosphere and raise a glass to a job well done.
Back at our hotel, Quinta do Ventozelo, I had a rather refreshing (a.k.a. cold) swim to shake off the day. The view from the pool and from our little room is simply stunning.