Douro wine
The food habits and cuisine of the Portuguese populace is immensely influenced by their geographical conditions. This is evident in their diet comprising of a vast number of sea food items and fish which can be directly attributed to the presence of the formidable Atlantic Ocean in the southern and western parts of the country. Similarly the varied geographical and climatic factors in the various regions of Portugal have proved conducive to wine cultivation. There are various vineyards scattered throughout the country were wine cultivation, processing and fermentation is carried out under the watchful eyes of a supervising authority. Among the various kinds of wines produced in Portugal, the most popular and well known is the Port wine which accounts for the maximum exports. In fact the Port wines which are produced in the Douro valley region are famous world wide for their refined quality and taste.
The Douro wines also known as Vinho do Douro are the wines produced in the Douro valley region, the same place which produces the Port wines. It is this region surrounding the Douro valley which has been recognized by the UNESCO as a site of world heritage. The Douro wines are comprised of white and red castas and constitute the premier wine types in Portugal. Earlier evidences go to show that these wines were bitter in taste previously. But the growing harmonic relations between England and Portugal allowed the English the authority of improving the quality of this wine by blending it with a kind of Portuguese brandy called ‘aguardante’. This inclusion and blending immensely improved the quality of the Douro wines and they are today regarded as one of the premier table wines of Portugal having several characteristics similar to that of the Port wine which is the most popular wine of Portugal.
