An amazing winery in Vinho Verde with a historic and picturesque setting. We visited in late…read moreSeptember with a private guide for lunch and a wonderful tasting of their fine selections. We sat nestled under a shady arbor enjoying 3 fabulous white wines, a luscious red and of course port with dessert. We even tasted a bit of their digestif to round out everything. While they aren't a restaurant, we enjoyed a delicious private lunch while we tasted the wines beginning with some fresh bread and house made olive oil. Next came a light and savory goat cheese puff pastry over roasted mushrooms. For our main we feasted on seared pork belly in a bed of fresh peas and for dessert a sweet orange roulade with strawberry compote. Definitely one of the tastiest meals on our two week trip in Portugal so far. After lunch we strolled a bit around the historic property with its small chapel ruin and many fruit trees. A great wAy to kick off our wine tasting journey in northern Portugal.

This was exactly what we were looking for on our drive up the Duoro Valley. Quinta de Covela was…read morejust a few minutes off of the main road - a slightly harrowing drive down to it so do yourself a favor and stay alert (and plan for accordingly for the drive out if you are having wine). My wife and i drove in and just wondered around until someone approached us in our clearly lost/confused state. We were greeted by an incredibly friendly young gal and treated to an impromptu wine tasting on a stone table in the shade of a large tree on a patio overlooking the Duoro River. Honestly, the wine would have been swill and this would have been an incredible experience... but luckily we were treated to some very crisp and refreshing Vihno Verdes (green wines) while having some nice conversation with the Covela pourer (whose name I have forgotten). Afterwards she took us for a tour of the grounds where we saw the vineyards, orchards and the few centuries old ruins of the old manor house and chapel. To sum it up... this was the stuff of dreams. Unfortunately they do not distribute in the USA or I would most certainly buy their wine often. Instead we left with a bottle and drank it at the hotel later that evening (yes, i am a wino). If you are in the region - certainly make a stop here. Well worth it.

Beautiful location right on the vineyard…read more Full service hotel with spa, wine tasting, great food and excellent staff. Rooms are exceptional and a full breakfast is included in the main dining room. It's called a wine experience for a reason!!! From the moment we checked in we were welcomed with a glass of champagne. After check in, we went to the room, which was spacious, spotless and absolutely lovely. A bottle of champagne was on ice in the sitting area with a nice welcome note. Everything in this hotel was a 5 star experience. If this hotel was in Napa, it would easily be $1000 a night. So IMO, it's an exceptional value. The main are of the hotel has beautiful sitting areas with fire places. It's relaxing and calming. Besides the amazing wines, the food was very good. At dinner, the Sommelier paired wine with our dishes which was a nice touch. The staff was super friendly and helpful, especially when they pick you up by tuk tuk to take you the restaurant and then back to your room after dinner. The pool and spa are also a nice touch to complete this experience. I highly recommend this hotel. If you want to feel pampered and a little bougie this is the place.

This hotel is such a beauty! Directly in the vineyards, the…read morehotel is composed of different small buildings for the rooms and other facilities. All of them surrounded by the calming and gorgeous view of perfectly straight rows of plush, green vines. Our room was very modern and comfortable with a full wall window facing a view I won't forget. Even on the second night, it seemed as exciting as the first. I can't get enough of this place. It may take some time to find all the light and decipher all the switches and options but if you have trouble, the staff is very friendly and keen to help you. On our arrival we were greeted with a very welcoming glass of their own sparkling and they also brought our bags directly in our rooms while we were checking in. If you don't want to walk to your room, you can always ask for a ride in their golf carts. We did came back pretty late in the evening, but each night we gathered with our group in the lobby bar on the first floor of the main building. The bartender was very helpful and friendly. He made very pleasing recommendations and they had very interesting choices. I hope I get to go back.

Me and my wife came here for a couple night and we must say we were both in shock. Of how beautiful…read moreand relaxing this vineyard was. We had no idea this GEM of a place existed. From service to accommodation and food and we can't forget about their wine 5 stars. We definitely recommend this Quinta. There pool is amazing with views of the mountains. It's like a dream. Rooms are clean and very up to date. We got massages at the spa and Rita was excellent and ze who checked us in is great! We didn't want to leave haha.

Absolutely loved our stay at the Quinta do Vallado. Such a gorgeous spot in the Douro…read moreValley...peaceful, extremely comfortable and sprawling accommodations, warm staff, stunning grounds. It even smells heavenly with the orange blossoms and rosemary all around the property. Had dinner both nights at the hotel as it was delicious, affordable for the area (which generally has considerably more expensive restaurants) and easy. Kids enjoyed the bar menu to have an earlier night of it (plenty of options for lighter dinners in the bar if you don't wish to eat heavy or late) and we loved our premium wine pairings with dinner. They also have an honor bar with all of their fabulous wines and some spirits for mixing, which was a nice touch. The breakfast was plentiful and very tasty. Wish it would start a little earlier (7? 730? would be great, but I believe it started at 8) but other than that, zero complaints. Our stay included a tour and tasting, which was truly educational for all. Our guide was the sommelier of the hotel and she also poured the wines at dinner. Our stay at the Quinta was a true highlight of our trip. I highly recommend it.

Our tour guide created an interesting experience. The grounds are gorgeous. The wines and cheeses…read moreare great. The staff is friendly and happy to accommodate you. And, the food is tasty.

Must book in advance for tours and/or wine tastings. Views are extraordinary, but the advanced…read morebookings seemed unnecessary--it was quiet, with employees twiddling their thumbs. Gift shop prices were reasonable.

My wife and I spent over a week in Portugal and while we enjoyed every minute, the true highlight…read morewas our visit to Quinta de Santa Cristina. First, the staff was extremely accommodating as they adjusted their schedule for us to come a bit earlier. The picturesque view of the mountains, small towns, and vineyards were absolutely stunning! While it was a bit misty and rainy, the view was well worth the trip. You could also easily make a day of the visit as they have recommended hikes of 15 minutes, 30+ minutes, and 90 minutes through the scenic countryside. The staff was fantastic as Maria was extremely friendly, answered all of our questions, and walked us through the vineyards. She explained how each wine was made and walked us through the winery and full wine making process. We left with a much deeper knowledge and appreciation for the wine. Each of the wines were delicious and the tapas with the wine were very tasty - an added bonus! We got a great sampling of the wines and the tapas were local meats and cheeses that really hit the spot. We actually walked away with a bottle of each wine that we sampled as they were all very good and the bottles were very reasonably priced (4-6E). This was an amazing value, wonderful experience, and one that we will always remember. Thank you Maria and Quinta de Santa Cristina!

Quinta do Tedo is a gorgeous winery in the Doura valley. Its logo is a bird because the owners are…read morebird watchers. It is also a B&B, but we were here to taste port. The tour was excellent, our guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. The process is fascinating. We finished with the tastings. The ports are fantastic. We had a Porto rose, tawny, and LBV. This winery is definitely worth a visit!

When we arrived at Quinta do Tedo the views were just breathtaking. The entire Duoro Valley is so…read morepicturesque. We were supposed to have a private lunch under an olive tree, but the weather didn't cooperate. That sounded lovely, but the back-up may have been even lovelier. They set up lunch for us in the wine cellar. It was such a beautiful space, the walls were lined with oak barrels and there was some cool art at the far side. The table was set so perfectly with a couple of bottles of wine, a charcuterie board full of different cheeses and meats, and a very tasty fruit salad. They thought of everything, even having a heater under the table. We had the entire cellar to ourselves, just the three of us. After lunch, we did a tasting and tour of the winery with a group. The day couldn't have been more perfect and I had an amazing experience here!

Don't be fooled: my decision to live near Rias Baixas was not only to obtain a sound education this…read moresummer, but to drink some of the world's best wine (and smuggle as much as possible home). My host family was not only kind enough to take me to Bodegas Terras Gauda, but to share with me a story of how their son got into trouble one summer and spent 15 days in the beating hot sun cutting grapes at this particular winery. Oh boy, do I wish I had photos of that! I can't relish in the misfortunes of others for too long because I need to do other important things, like drink and learn about wine. Due to the "special" relationship my host family has with the bodega, we were allowed to have a quick tour during off-hours. The winery itself is very close to the Río Miño and the terrain enjoys fairly mild temperatures, averaging around 15 degrees centigrade (59 degrees Fahrenheit) for the year, and oscillating patterns of rainfall. This makes for grapes that ripen with high sugar content and an acidity much lower than other wines from the Rias Baixas DO region. And after tasting a variety of wines (a blend of the three grapes of the Rias Baixas region, a pure Albariño, and the black label Albariño), I did notice how much smoother the wines were than other Rias Baixas DO wines I have had in the States. Of the three wines sampled, I preferred the blend because the wine was a bit heavier, had a much more pronounced aroma of apricot, and tasted more strongly of fruits. After tasting the wines, I knew that making a few purchases was compulsory. I received quite a bargain - a box of three wines was approximately 30 euro. Good luck trying to get one decent bottle of Albariño in the states for under $15. Speaking of luck, please wish me luck getting as much of this wine through US Customs as humanely possible.

Peter Eckert was a Swiss insurance company manager who fell in love with the Dão region, and with…read morehis wife, bought four hectares of abandoned land and a house. His story sounds similar to the many expat stories that for a while flooded bookstores. Skip the complains about local workers, fast forward twenty years, and you have a prospering family vineyard and a cellar of award-winning wines. During our visit, Peter's root shines through, in his warm hospitality and management precision. The wine making facility is a blend of modern and tradition. There is the lagar where grapes are stomped by feet, and chill rings on fermenting tanks. Peter is really proud of his Encruzado, an indigenous variety that is considered Portugal's finest white grape. It's full bodied, well structured, a creamy mouthfeel balanced with some acidity. I'll pick this over many chardonnay or sauvignon blanc! I feel privileged that I get to try both the unoaked and oaked versions (and I agree with Peter that I prefer the unoaked) of the wine, plus a barrel sample. For red, we tried the Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, again indigenous varietals that I hardly find back home. We just wish that we can carry more bottles home with us!

Awesome hour here. Got a tour of their operations and awesome wine tasting. Very friendly and…read morechatty wine maker.

Dão is a famous wine region in Portugal, and we decided to visit some vineyards on our trip…read more Quinta do Perdigão is a small vineyard with just 8 hectares of land, with certified organic production. Several of its wines has 90+ points from Robert Parker among other awards. We had a lovely tour of the vineyard with Vanessa, the owner, and her entourage of dogs and horse. She and her husband met over her art exhibition, and her artwork graces the bottles. After the tour, we sat down for an informal tasting while chatting about everything. If you like white, try their Encruzado, a 91 pt wine made with their indigenous grape. Their Reserve 2006 is amazing, we couldn't resist getting a bottle to take home. pro tip: Do call/email ahead of time to arrive a visit, and don't trust your GPS to know the way.