The Douro Demarcated Region spreads along 250.000 hectares along the Douro River basin. A powerful river with 927kms since its spring in Picos de Urbión until it meets the Atlantic Ocean in the city of Porto. In its way it passes by several wine regions, being the Douro Demarcated Region the most impressive with its deep valleys and narrow canyons. The soils are mainly derivative from schist, with a granite geologic formation in its borders. The region has very cold Winters and very hot and dry Summers. Due to the wide variety of micro-climates, the region is divided in 3 sub-regions that differ greatly from each other in terms of temperature, rainfall, dimension of the property, planted area, etc.: Baixo-Corgo, Cima-Corgo and Douro Superior.
The Douro was the first region in the world to be demarcated, back in 1756.
Quinta do Portal is a family fine winemaking company that embraced with passion the “Boutique Winery” concept. We proudly produce DOC Douro wines, premium Port Wines and Moscatel. This project that started in the early 90’s of the XX century, had on its base a centenary estate where our family has been producing Port since the last years of the XIX century. Our commitment to the production of quality wines has been, since the first moment, the heart and soul of Quinta do Portal. This effort, passion and dedication have been recognized both at a national and international level during the course of the years.
Our Quintas are all located in the Pinhão river valley, in the Upper Corgo sub-region. The Pinhão river is a small tributary of the Douro that flows from North to South through steep terraced hillsides. Having vineyards in the East and West banks of the river with altitudes ranging from 200 to 550m and almost all possible solar exposures allows us to produce a diversity of quality grapes to create exceptional wines. The total vineyard area rounds 100 hectares. As a curiosity fact we have Touriga Nacional planted in all our Quintas.
The distinguishing characteristics of our wines are their elegance and freshness, as our objective is to bottle wines that people can enjoy with true pleasure.
We try to have the best relation pleasure/price in all the different quality levels.
Our family has been producing Port wine in the Pinhão valley for more than 100 years, but it has been in the Douro at least since 1477, when the King D. Afonso V grants a portion of land (Comenda de Oliveira) to the noble D. Afonso de Mansilha. Later in 1756, Frei João de Mansilha played a very important role in the demarcation of the Douro and its implementation. Our knowledge and will has in its origin several generations of people that dedicated their lives to the region and to its most important wine. Drinking a glass of our Ports is drinking through the history of a region. Our Port wines are elegant, fresh, approachable and really pleasant wines.
In the high plains next to the Pinhão valley, we have our vineyards of the famous Moscatel Galego (Muscat à Petits Grains). This is a natural birthplace for this grape. At around 600 meters, the cooler conditions benefit largely a slower and balanced maturation and help maintain the freshness of the grapes.
Natural sparkling wine has been part of the history of Portugal and the Portuguese for more than a hundred years. With it, pacts were sealed, friends were welcomed, kisses were stolen between promises of love and victories celebrated. Quinta do Portal could not miss the opportunity to launch a sparkling wine of high quality to celebrate our future. Cheers!
Vinho Verde is a unique wine only produced in the North of Portugal. Medium to low in alcohol, with some pétillance, great aromas and freshness, Vinho Verde is the perfect summer wine. The strong distinctive character and originality of these wines are the result of soil and climate characteristics, on one hand, and of the grape varieties and the vine-growing methods, on the other.
We firmly believe that those results were only possible with the support, feedback and partnership of you all (importers, distributors, sommeliers, clients, salesreps, consumers and friends), so those distinctions are also yours.
Thank you!
Portal 1995 Vintage Port is our first vintage declaration.
As it's a wine with a considerable bottle ageing it should be decanted in order to remove the sediment and to allow it to breathe.
Its evolution has been remarkable. Aroma of dry plum and spices, earthy and fresh. Silky, smooth and very appealing. A special wine with a great character.
Portal 1997 Vintage Port is the result of a great year. After a harsh winter, with snow hitting our properties in January. February and March brought hot and sunny days what led to a early bud-burst. In April and May we had again cold and humid weather allowing for a even development of the vines. Summer was hot and dry allowing an excellent maturation of the grapes, that were picked on the 16th September.
The wine starts closed on the nose, but as it opens reveals notes of tobacco, dry plums and spices. Well structured with a complex volume, but quite silky. It finishes very long and very pleasant.
Portal 1999 Vintage Port is round, smooth, well balanced with aromas of black cherry, raspberry , cassis and a touch of mocca all very well integrated.
Ideal to drink with 10 to 15 years of bottle ageing.
PORTAL VINTAGE PORT 1999 SILVER MEDAL - International Wine Challenge SILVER MEDAL - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
Portal 2000 Vintage Port was our first Port to be awarded with a Gold Medal at the prestigious International Wine Challenge, and opened way to our 2003 fantastic double declaration.
This is a wine built to last for decades! Opaque purple hue, in the nose we have notes of plum and purple fruit. Full-bodied, but smooth and elegant, with a delicious cassis, cedar and raspberry profile.
Portal Vintage Port 2003 (classic), awarded Champion Fortified Wine of the Year at the International Wine Challenge, is indeed a remarkable and unique wine produced in a excepcional year. Very rainy Winter that made possible to the vines to cope with the extreme heat we had in the Summer. Blackish intense purple with aromas of blueberry, anise, mint and some black pepper. Big and balanced full-bodied wine with sweet black plum and blueberries with lots of good acidity.
A wine that is easy to like that has a very, very long finish.
CHAMPION FORTIFIED WINE OF THE YEAR - International Wine Challenge THE PORT TROPHY - International Wine Challenge THE VINTAGE PORT TROPHY - International Wine Challenge
Portal 2003+ Vintage Port was born of a young parcel of Touriga Nacional from Quinta dos Muros.
For the first time we declared 2 different Vintage Ports in the same year. The 2003+ like the classic was considered one of the best of the year. In fact, both of them were among the best 5 wines of 2003!
It has great ripe fruit but more fresh and young what allied to its powerful tannins make it dense, intense but smooth and very pleasant.
The production was about 1/3 comparing to the classic bottling.
Portal 2007 Vintage Port celebrates the 10th Declaration of both Quinta do Portal and Paulo Coutinho.
Very dark purple, it has aromas of plum and black fig in a clean and pure profile. Very balanced, silky but with a firm tannin and excellent acidity. Elegant!