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Cultural Tours & Musical Holidays
The Spectator Club Tour to Porto & The Douro Valley
Oporto, Portugal
tbc nights from £tbc per person
At the mouth of the Douro River, Oporto is the gateway to the dramatic valley which stretches as far as the plains of Castille and is home to spectacular terraced vineyards from which the eponymous wine is produced.
The wine, of course, is utterly unique, be it a nutty, raisiny, tawny port; an easy-drinking ruby; a full-blown vintage or simply a Porto Tónico (white port and tonic) - there are few finer aperitifs. The region’s table wines are also increasingly impressive, and we will sample these alongside the more famous exports during a tour taking us from the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, where the ports are brought to mature in oak barrels, to the quintas up the Douro Valley itself, where harvest season will be in full swing.
We will be accompanied by The Spectator’s own Jonathan Ray, and will meet key players including Paul Symington, whose family has been influential port producers for 13 generations, and dine at The Factory House, an exclusive club of British-owned port shippers which dates from 1727.
Jonathan Ray
Jonathan Ray is the Drinks Editor for The Spectator magazine, drinks columnist of The Field and Spear’s Magazine, contributing editor of Boat International and author of several books on wine and spirits including All About Wine, Bloodlines & Grapevines, Drink More Fizz! and That’s the Spirit!
What's included
Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast
Wine tastings as described
Three dinners and two lunches
All sightseeing, entrances fees and gratuities
The services of Spectator Drinks Editor, Jonathan Ray
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Ignacio Foley
Senior Reservations Consultant
Hotel Details
Infante De Sagres
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