Learning About the Duoro

On Tuesday, we woke up to a beautiful morning, fog lifting from the river and mountains. Enjoyed another delicious breakfast prepared by Tiago. Took a walk through the vineyards and once again stopped to feed and pet horse. His main job at the Quinta is to plow the steep vineyards. We didn't know his name so Martin named him Pinto and Kate preferred Max.





The view back to the Quinta was stunning.


We decided to give the Museu do Duoro another try. This time it was open, and the temporary exhibit was on Dona Antónia. In the 1800s, she was one of the largest land owners in the Duoro Valley, owning up to 34 quintas.


We walked to the nearby annex, which is their permanent exhibit on the region focusing on the production of wine. It was fascinating to see the old tools and techniques used, and also noticing how little has changed. They had a number of different videos and maps that captivated our attention. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. We spent over two hours there.





Back to the Quinta for lunch. After our active morning and nice lunch, Martin didn't even make it up to the loft for a nap.


In the afternoon, we drove to Quinta Nova, which we thought would be a quick trip because it was just across the river from Quinta do Tedo. As we kept racking up the time, we realize this was no casual drive. The road was narrow, winding its way up the hill with steep vineyards reaching towards the top of the mountain and also all the way to the river at the valley floor.


When we arrived at Quinta Nova, we went on a tour of the winery and the property, which is absolutely gorgeous. And worth the drive. Thanks for the suggestion Kay!


We were interested to learn that at Quinta Nova, the focus is moving towards producing quality Portuguese wine and less Porto. The winery dates back to the mid-1700s.

On our way back, we spotted a plentiful orange tree that didn't appear to have an owner. So Martin felt that he couldn't let them go to waste and he obligated to adopt six of them.

We stopped at a restaurant per Kay's suggestion (DOC Restaurant) for a drink and appetizer; however, being Portugal, it didn't open until 8pm, so we had another dinner at the Quinta.

- Martin & Kate

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Location:Duoro Valley, Portugal