DouroBoys
On the past weekend, September 19th and 20th, took place the 1st Edition of Feira do Douro (a regional fair), an event of wine and gastronomy, held by the DouroBoys, in order to use the famous wines of these producers (Niepoort, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta do Vale Meão and Quinta do Crasto) to promote the most traditional products of the regions of Douro and Trás-os-Montes.
This year, the event was held at the beautiful Quinta do Vallado, in the future it will take place one year in each of the other Quintas, opening its doors to a wider range of visitors and promoting the approach of the consumers to the origin of their wines. During the press presentation we got to know a bit about this new project, the DouroBoys and their importance to Douro’s development, in particular, of the DOC Douro wines.
Much was said about the importance of tourism, the gastronomy and, of course, the numbers concerning the production of wines at Douro – from the production costs to the important tasting notes of international magazines. The idea of organizing this event came from the necessity of selling the region as a whole, not just the wines and the Quintas, stressing the importance of the traditional cuisine, the small producers and the unique delicacies of this area of the country.
For that, each one of the DouroBoys ended up inviting some producers, the great majority being suppliers of the Quintas, in areas like pastry and conventual sweets, the regional bread, the olive oil, the fruits, the smoked goods, the aromatic herbs, the jams and the cheeses.
Followed a buffet lunch, honored with the delicacies of the region and the wines of Quinta do Vallado and also, the elegant and exclusive DouroBoys Cuvée 2011.
As to the Fair itself, it occurred in the beautiful space surrounding the pool of the Wine Hotel of Quinta do Vallado, with an informal and relaxed environment, blessed with good weather –the high temperatures and the pool inviting to a swim!
For a first edition of an event held outside the urban centers, the fair was a great success, with a strong presence of locals, of tourists and oenophiles that went to Douro exclusively to this event, promising a prosperous future for the next editions.
Arte, Sabor e Douro – the traditional almonds of Moncorvo
I can’t leave unnoticed some of the excellent products there presented, like the Olive Oils of Casa de Santo Amaro, the laborious almonds of Moncorvo from Arte, Sabor e Douro, the amazing teas and herbs of Cantinho das Aromáticas, the good goat cheese from the several producers and the traditional bread of Favais, as well as the typical sweets of the region.
Cantinho das Aromáticas
Concerning the wines, the greatest highlight goes to the more complex whites, such as VZ 2014 – Quinta Vale D. Maria, and the Redoma Reserva 2014 from Niepoort. In terms of the Reds and with many releases to the mix, I can’t fail to mention the elegance and differentiation of the Charme 2013 from Niepoort, the balance of the Vinha da Francisca 2012 from Quinta Vale D. Maria, the Field Blend from Quinta do Vallado that as well as the Quinta do Crasto Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2012 promises more excellent tasting notes and, of course, the presentation of the icon that is Quinta do Vale Meão, in this case the 2013 harvest.
In terms of Ports, highlight to the Vintage 2013 from Vale Meão and the Colheita 2001 from Niepoort.
Concluding, it was a great quality event, which excelled not only for the great quality of the products and wines involved, but also for the surrounding natural beauty of Douro. Now we have to wait till September 2016 for the 2nd Edition of this Feira do Douro, with the DouroBoys seal of approval.
Photos: Flavors & Senses
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