The Douro Valley in Portugal is one of the oldest and most iconic wine regions in the world. Located in the north of the country, the region is renowned for its stunning scenery and its production of world-class fortified wines.
The Douro Valley was first demarcated in 1756 and originally applied only to port production. It was extended to include table wine in 1979, with the first glimmer of the region’s potential for non-fortified still red wines appearing when port shippers Casa Ferreirinha launched Barca Velha in 1952. The focus on table wines did not take hold until the 1990’s, following Portugal’s accession to the EU.