The Douro Valley is a place of extremes. Heat that shimmers off the schist, slopes so steep they’d give a mountain goat vertigo, a river that slices through the landscape like a well-aimed sabre. It’s been a wine region for over 2,000 years, but for much of its modern history, it’s been known for one thing: Port.
A drink of tradition and status, Port built the Douro, lining the cellars of British aristocrats and keeping the merchants of Vila Nova de Gaia busy for centuries. But the region is evolving, and if there’s one family proving that the Douro is more than just fortified wine, it’s Symington. For over 140 years, they’ve been at the forefront of Port production, but these days, they’re just as focused on what happens outside the barrel.
