Due to the deficiency in territorial coordination, in 1756 the “Marques de Pombal” restricted the Douro Valley region with 335 milestones distributed for 250.000 hec.
Making it the oldest defined and protected wine region in the world.
Nowadays in the Douro Valley we have 33.000 hect cultivated for Port Wine and 12.000 hect for Wine, Moscatel, Late Harvest and sparkling Wine.
Port wine is produced from grapes grown and processed in the demarcated Douro region.
The juice is fortified half way trough, at the third day of fermentation, with the addition of a Brandy (distilled grape spirits with an alcohol content between 76 % - 78 %) known as “Aguardente” in order to stop the fermentation ( 440 liters mixed with 110 liters of brandy) and leaving a natural residual sugar in the wine.
The minimum allowed is 16,5 % for the light dry white and the maximum is 22 %, but normally the Port wine is always about 19 % - 20 %.
The wine is then stored in cellars and aged in oak pipes or large vats in Vila Nova de Gaia.
The wine received this name, "Port," in the latter half of the 17th century, from the seaport city of Porto at the beginning of the Douro River, where the fortified wine was brought to internal market or for export to England and abroad.
The “rabelo” boat was in charge of the barrels transportation, on those Douro brave journeys, since the 17h century until May 1971, when it has been replaced by train and cistern trucks.Gonçalo Devesas
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