Pinhão: Quinta do Bomfim Visit and Tasting

Owned by the Symington family for five generations, Quinta do Bomfim features a winery, old wine cellar, and vineyard in the heart of the Upper Douro Valley. Visit the on-site museum and tour the grounds before choosing from a variety of family-made ports and wines to taste on the terrace. The tour begins in a small museum that tells the story of the property, the family, and the wines. A collection of early 20th century photographs of the Douro and documents highlight the history of the Quinta and the region. Afterward, choose between three vineyard walks, all of which offer excellent views of the surrounding mountain vineyards, some with dry stone terraces built by hand in the 18th and 19th centuries. Along the way, visit the old lodge built in 1896, one of the most significant structures in the Douro Valley. This vast vat and barrel cellar, with its complex roof structure, has been used for over 100 years to hold the ports from each harvest at the estate before they are taken downriver to Vila Nova de Gaia for further maturing. During the harvest, visitors can see the grapes being received at the winery and port being made in the lagares (troughs). At other times of the year, a short film is shown of the winery in operation and traditional treading at other Symington family vineyards. Later, choose from four wine tasting options: a Douro DOC tasting, port tasting, premium vintage tasting, or Dow's Old Tawnies tasting. Each offers a different collection of wines to taste. Head to the terrace and enjoy your tasting surrounded by scenic views of the Douro River and surrounding vineyards. Quinta do Bomfim is the birthplace of two of the 21st century’s most famous ports: First, Dow’s 2007 Vintage Port is the only vintage port made this century to have been awarded a perfect 100 points by the Wine Spectator. Secondly, Dow’s 2011 Vintage Port was nominated the “N°1 Wine in the World” in 2014 by the same influential publication.