If you visit Porto in the last week of February, be prepared to get wet – drenched even, as the rainy season can be almost tropical in its intensity. Metaphorically, you’ll also get drenched ...
https://catavino.net/simplesmente-vinho-great-iberian-wines/
A year ago this week, my now husband and I had just gotten married in the beautiful town of Sintra. There was so much we were celebrating – loved ones visiting us from afar, spending time with ...
I know it’s a bit obvious, but I think it’s worth restating, it’s damn cold; so cold that an unlimited supply of wool blankets and crackling fireplaces won’t eradicate the persistent...
Carabinheiro and bean If you are visiting Porto, make sure to plan an evening of dining pleasure at Rui Paula’s DOP restaurant for stunning food and wine and the modern face of Portuguese gastr...
Editor’s Note: In Part I, Sonia visited some of the Douro’s enchanting wine-producing villages, took in prehistoric art at the Coa Museum with wine glass in hand, savored the rustic flavors...
Imagine traveling about an hour through pitch black darkness, going to sleep not quite sure where you are at the moment—only to find yourself a few hours later waking up to intense beauty. That...
At 9am on a cool Friday morning in Foz, with a stunning view of the Atlantic ocean, I joined a room full of international Port wine experts to taste 56+ 2011 Vintage Port wines. These wines...
Like most of northern Portugal, the geology of the Minho region is dominated by granite rocks. Rolling hills with massive round boulders cluster around peaks or are strewn about slopes and sandy ...
When travelling to new lands, there is always something enticing about “discovering” a place you think no one else knows about. As if you’re a rugged explorer who has stumbled upon that one...
https://catavino.net/taberna-do-sao-pedro-vila-nova-de-gaia/
Have you ever struggled to see what someone else finds beautiful? “Look!” your partner says with a smile, “Isn’t that tree absolutely beautiful?!” Staring at the emaciated lopsided trun...
https://catavino.net/the-textures-of-porto-what-makes-a-city-beautiful/
This past Friday, I found my way down to the “Riberia” area of Porto, or rather the historic “Porto side” of the river, where a small group of both established and budding new wine makers...
https://catavino.net/simplesemente-vinho-portuguese-wine-tasting/
With the plentiful information we’ve provided about Port and Douro wines, and the beautiful area they originate from this November, hopefully, you’re itching to put together the perfect wine ...
Many of us who love a good glass of wine would agree with Robert Louis Stevenson, whose famous quote says “Wine is bottled poetry”. And while I may not recite Emily Dickenson or Thoreau with ...
They do it in Bordeaux. They do it in Champagne. They do it in many of the world’s best wine regions to enhance longevity and endurance. So what are all these classic and sophisticated regions ...
https://catavino.net/the-pivotal-practice-that-prevails-in-port-production/
As I discovered on a recent trip to Porto and the beautifully terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, having an understanding of the different ports not only provides a greater appreciation of t...
https://catavino.net/a-guide-to-port-just-in-time-for-christmas/