The upper Duoro is a most blessed place that rivals anything in Italy or France. And, better still, it's more or less off the beaten tourist track. The river, which begins in Spain, cuts its way through a steep ravine by the time it enters Portugal. Out of necessity the mountains have to be terraced in order to support the cultivation of grapes.
From our vantage point at Sr. Manuel de Sampaya's 17th c. house on the edge of this little town on the tippy top of one of the tallest points overlooking the quaint town of Pinhao, all we could see for miles and miles was a crazy patchwork of vineyards. Some of the best wines in the world come from the Duoro, but production can be limited as irrigation is prohibited and much of the wine doesn't doesn't make it out of Portugal. Some of wine is also sent downstream to Porto to be fortified and aged as Port. Thank God for the Duoro!
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