Portugal – Destinationreport by by Jens Hoffmann
Arrival in Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. Porto is a fantastic place!
If you’re only visiting one (wine) region in your life, let the Douro be the place.
If you weren’t romantic before, you will be after a visit here.
Where will you find so beautiful grapes?
Our start was in Porto, it is not so crowded like in Lisbon -which is also fantastic – just the perfect destination.
I enjoyed it very much, even the traditional wineries and cafes are great.
The boats tour to the Douro Valley is also unique.
Six Senses Douro Valley is a 5 star boutique hotel in a dream location by the Douro River where harmony and comfort are met. The exclusive manor house that harbours the hotel was built in the 19th century by a Port wine producer and today you will find an inspiring blend of the original architecture and a touch of modern design.
Called Portugal’s first six-star hotel, this hotel will charm you with its calm atmosphere, its wonderful surroundings in the Douro Valley where the river flows by beautiful and endless fields of vineyards and with an exquisite décor that include hand picked art objects brought from Asia.
The stay at the hotel in the Douro valley inspires also your soul and mind.
Inside the hotel it is maybe a little bit dark, but so inspring, it has a asian style spa, a selection of rooms, suites and villas, two fabulous restaurants, a outdoor tennis court and a beautiful wine room.
Location: Peso da Régua, Douro Valley, Portugal. With vineyards and golf courses nearby.
Those of you insearch of selected moments in a unique hotel will find their dreams come true.
In detail the hotel is a brilliant interior houses cocoon-like rooms and suites with clean lines and modern furnishings. A number of the equally modern villas have a private pool with beautiful views of the river.
We had a fantastic room and a fall asleep after a couple of nice red vines.
The spa is nothing short of superb with a hydrotherapy pool with heated water beds, a herbal sauna, a laconium and a steam room. So you can relax by the pool surrounded by the sound of rustling cypress and olive trees and the scent of honeysuckle. There is nothing quite like the tastes of the Mediterranean on your plate as you enjoy lunch on the terrace overlooking the vines.
We enjoyed a perfect wines for lunch e.g. Bairrada Garrafeira Doc Tinto 2009 – Quinta das Bageiras.
100% Baga grapes – Truly a terrific concentration with intensive expression.
A highly strung cedar-scented nose – firm, precise foreshadows the palate.
In the mouth a tightly coiled core of concentrated, well-defined fresh blackcurrant is surrounded by pine needle, truffle and inky floral strata.
Very fine-grained ripe but present tannins and ultra-persistent mineral-sluiced acidity fuel a long, long finish whose arching, ethereal incense spices build and resonate, making a cathedral of your mouth.
Then, take a boat trip along the river before returning for more gourmet delights in the evening. It is also fun to take a train from Porto City to the hotel.
Interesting is the Port wine story: It all started in 1678, after the British blockaded French ports when the two countries were at war. The British began importing wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley.
Back then Portugal’s wine was dry, full-bodied, and had a high alcohol content. All that changed when the British added neutral brandy during fermentation to preserve it better for long boat trips. But adding brandy changed the natural fermentation process, and prevented the leftover grape sugar from turning to alcohol. That resulted in a sweeter, fruitier wine that is now usually enjoyed as an apéritif or after-dinner wine.
Total: A fantastic destination.
