We managed to get very inexpensive Ryanair flights allowing us 36 hours in Porto leaving London (Stansted) airport at 6.35am. Owing to a strike in France we had a delay of 90 minutes, so arrived at Porto airport at about 11am. The bus to the centre left every half hour so we had to get one at 11.30am. It was a half hour drive to the centre. There are lots of building work and roadworks at present to lots of hold ups but the bus drivers don’t slow down for much else!
We had booked online into a 2* hotel recommended to us by friends who had stayed there before. It is the Grand Hotel de Paris in Rua Da Fabrica 27/29. It is in the centre; minutes away on foot, from the river, the Port Lodges, Vinologia and Presuntisco! The hotel is an old building with lots of character and is inexpensive.
We dropped off our bags and walked to the big bridge then down to river level. The weather forecast had said we would have rain both days but my prayer was answered and the warm sun shone down on us! We came upon Presuntisco sooner than expected so I went in to book a table for the evening. I told the chef who greeted me that Roy Hersh had recommended them. He called over a man who turned out to be the owner Senhor Granja. He greeted me by saying “Roy is my friend! Come and I’ll show you the house”. The four of us were taken through the back to the Dalva Lodge. He even showed us a bottle that Roy had tasted!
We left with thanks and walked further in search of a sandwich we turned right and took the left passed a giant cube sculpture and at the crossroads came across Vinologia! (This was very fortunate because I thought it was in a different Rua Sao Joao Novo which I had found on Viamichelin.com!) Cristophe came out and spoke to us. We made ourselves known to him and we assured him we would return soon.
Taylor’s
After a sandwich lunch we walked across the bridge at the lower level and walked uphill to the Taylor’s Lodge. The lodges are well sign posted but we chose to walk up the first road and ended up above the lodges, so we walked down to Taylor’s!
We were told there would be a tour in English in 15 Minutes. We sat down and were given to ports to taste: a Chip dry white port and an LBV 1999. I am not an expert, so my judgements are personal, and we score out of 20 rather than 100. I include them as a comparison:
Taylor’s Chip dry white port – OK, not my thing really. (15 points)
Taylor’s LBV 1999 – Good stuff, I drink a lot of it at home. (16.5 points)
As we didn’t have Roy with us we didn’t meet Alistair Robertson but we had a very interesting tour from a young woman who spoke excellent English!
I hadn’t realised that only tawny ports are aged in ordinary sized barrels. All others are put in massive vats of up to 70,000 litres. No wonder they don’t taste much of oak!
After the tour we took advantage of being able to taste aged tawnies by the glass. (All prices in euros, as they were April 4th and 5th).
Taylor’s 10 YO Tawny – 2.00 euros - Good stuff, I drink a lot of it at home (17 points)
Taylor’s 20 YO Tawny – 4.00 euros - Great (18 points)
Taylor’s 30 YO Tawny – 8.00 euros – Fantastic (18.5 points)
Taylor’s 40 YO Tawny – 12.00 euros – Wonderful (19 points)
I love aged tawnies!
We tasted inside then sat on the terrace outside their restaurant to drink the rest of our ports. Sitting in the warm sunshine looking at the river and across to Porto – what could be better?!
Dinner at Presuntisco
We just had time to go back to the hotel to change a freshen up and then back to Presuntisco. What a fantastic meal!
Appetizers: Fresh bread & ham, dates & ham. Dalva white port – (17 points) – Good.
Caldo Verde was not available so I had Smoked sausage – a meal in itself!
Red wine - Cabeca do Pote Vinho Tinto (Douro) - (16.5 points) - A good red wine.
Salt cod (Bacalhau) – a large portion! I regret that we were too full to order any cheese.
However we wanted to finish with port! Senhor Granja brought an amazing selection to the table from which to choose: five aged Dalva tawnies and some Dalva vintage!
Senhor Granja suggested we go for the Dalva 2000 vintage port and we said we’d like to taste one of the tawnies too! He said that Roy favoured the 30 YO Tawny, so we thought if it’s the one for Roy – it’s the one for us!
Dalva 30 YO Tawny - (19 points) Wonderful
Dalva 2000 Vintage - (19 points) Wonderful full of flavour!
Senhor Granja was very generous to us as he spent some time with us as we drank the Port at the end of the meal. He was a journalist for 22 years but is really at home with Presuntisco and Dalva. He told us that some of the Benfica football team were to visit him the next day. He is a great host. He is looking forward to Roy’s next visit.
Wednesday 5th April
We had planned to take a train to Pinhao in the Douro valley but missed the one that would give us enough time there and back in time for our plane home! So another day in Porto!
So we crossed the river and strolled the 1500 metres along Vila Nova de Gaia towards Graham’s Port Lodge. This is one of the Symington family group of Lodges and we enjoy Graham’s Ports! Although it was starting to rain we could not be put off!
Graham’s
There was a coach party on a tour and we were told there would be a tour in English in a few minutes. Again it was just for the four of us. We had another excellent tour with a young woman called Filipa. Again we saw the vats, barrels and the vintage port cellars but we asked different questions this time.
The tasting: 3 types (free) -
Graham’s (medium sweet) White Port - (16 points) - “OK for a white Port!”
Graham’s LBV 1999 - (16.5 points) - Good
Graham’s 10 YO Tawny - (17 points) - Good
We were also able to try 2 other Ports:
Graham’s “Six Grapes” - (15.5 points) – Smooth, fresh but a little bland!
Graham’s “The Tawny” - (16.5 points) - Good
We were able to buy a tasting of the following (at the price in euros shown):
Graham’s 30 YO Tawny (5.00 Euros) - (18 points) - Fantastic
Graham’s 40 YO Tawny (5.00 Euros) - (19 points) - Wonderful
2 Vintage Ports (5.00 Euros for the two)
Graham’s Vintage 1994 - (18.5 points) - Fantastic
Graham’s Vintage 1980 - (19 points) – Wonderful
We felt that the Graham’s tasting was excellent value for money!
Time for lunch! We went for a modern restaurant on the river front with an “Ementia Turistica” with a set price. (I had a large pizza!)
Ferreira
We walked back a few metres to the Ferreira Lodge. Again there was a tour in English in 15 minutes. Here were the largest vats I had seen (70,000 litres). Another excellent guide: (Sofia). We had an informative tour learning about Donna Antonia as we walked up the slopes from the cellars to the higher levels. We emerged at the statue of the Ferreira Emu “They don’t walk backwards!” We were offered two ports to taste:
Ferreira’s (medium sweet) White Port - (16.5 points) - “Not bad!”
Ferreira’s Tawny – (16.5 points) - Pleasant
Ferreira charged 2.50euros each for the tour. (The only Lodge of the 3 we visited to do so). The ticket could be used get 2.50euros of the price of a bottle of their port. I bought a bottle of their Lagrima out of interest.
Vinologia
We strolled along in the sunshine the rain having stopped, across the Pont Luiz along the Cais da Ribeira and up the hill to Vinologia! Cristophe and Senhor Duhard senior were there. With only one hour until we had to return to collect our cases we could only choose a small number of ports! Cristophe recommended the Sao Pedro 2000 Vintage Port. We wanted to try a colheita and of course we wanted to try the 1952 Dalva White Colheita!
Sao Pedro 2000 Vintage Port, Das Aguis - (19 points) – Delicious!
Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1983 (bottled 2005) - (19.5 points) Brilliant!
Dalva Golden White C de Silva 1952 (bottled 2005) - (19.25 points) Fascinating!
I think the first two were about 9euros a glass. The 1952 Dalva was 19 euros a glass or 140 euros a bottle!
What a fantastic way to end our visit to Porto!
Final thoughts
If you have the opportunity to go to Porto with Roy, then that has to be the best way: for the tastings and the whole experience! We were only able to taste four vintage ports. Even Vinologia only have one vintage port open because they don’t keep so long.
However if you love port, live in the UK and can get cheap flights – you have to go! Just to be there is a fantastic experience. Next time we go we will have an extra night there so as not to be so shattered when we get home!
Cheers!
William
