A beautiful house in the Douro valley!

[Manuel]

This summer I decided to spend my holidays in the Douro region. Actually, to be more precise, I went to Pinhão. I asked a friend of mine, the architect Ricardo Cruz, some advice in order so see the most interesting things of the region.
He told me a lot about the Portuguese houses of the eighteenth century and specially about a small village called Provezende. This village is national patrimony and is very interesting indeed. He also told me about a nice house designed by UTOPIA
Well, I knew this architects were good because they had already designed my house in Oporto.
What I didn't knew was that they actually knew how to wrote a poem to the Douro valley!
This house is absolutely integrated in the typical Douro landscape. It is very small, but it has two private courtyards, the roof is covered by vegetation and all the walls are made of shale (the most commom rock of the region).
This house is definitely an authentic homage to the Douro culture!

upper view


upper view to the river


Courtyard with the traditional shale


The house integrated in the traditional slope


It's good to see that there are architects who show there profound love to the Douro culture!

[Ronald Wortel]

That's a very beautiful house, and at a great location too!
Can you tell me which vineyards it looks out to?

[Manuel]

I am not sure about the vineyards that are in front of the house.
The vineyard that is just in front belongs to the Sampaio Sepúlveda Family, a relatively important owner in the Douro valley.
The house is on the limit of the village called Provezende and looking to the south were we can see the Douro river.
All the vineyards in a 2 Km radius belong to small property owners that are living mostly in Provezende.
In the other margin of the Douro river...well... I really don't Know the name of the vineyards. The ones we see in the photo are just 1 Km away from a town called Pinhão.
Maybe my friend Ricardo Knows their name...

But I want to make clear about a point:
I am not a real estate agent.
I am just a guy who really loves the Douro valley.
I decided to post the house just because I think it is a very beautiful example of modern architecture.
I don't believe that the owner wants to sell it or rent it.

If you want more information about the region I can give you my friends contact.
He is an architect that is always looking for investors in the Douro region.
There are a lot of eighteenth century and nineteenth century houses in ruins in Provezende.
Unfortunately no one has the money to rebuild them or explore that tourist opportunity.
I hope I have answered your question...

Keep enjoying good wine,

Manuel

[Roy Hersh]

Bom dia Manuel,

Is the Sampaio family name you mentioned, any relationship to the recent former President of Portugal?

Thanks for the photos of this typical Douro home.

IF you are a Port wine enthusiast in addition to enjoying Port and the Douro, I hope you will continue to come back here and share your impressions with us.

Semre ao dispor.

Roy

[Manuel]

Olá Hersh!

That Sampaio Sepúlveda family that owns those vineyards does't have any recent relatives with the former president.
At least any that I am aware about!

Its a very old Family that had some importance in the past.
Unfortunately , nowdays, the younger generation lives in Gaia and doesn't care very much about the vineyards or producing any special wine. They just sell the grapes to the Cooperativa (a kind of producers association) or other bigger Quinta (farm).

I really love that zone of Provezende because you can really talk to the old families and appreciate a magnificent craftsmanlike vintage Port. It 's a kind of nostalgia that I have...
Probably you would say about that port that it is a little bit “adocicado” (with too much sugar) but I really love it that way... No Marketing, no technicians, just “old school”.

Of course I am not against technology in wine production! But sometimes it feels good to taste some of the old...Its like having an old car...It makes too much noise, it spends too much gasoline, it may stop in the middle of a street...You spend a lot of money with it....But yo don't care...You just love it.

I have to say that I have been reading the posts and I must say :

Bem-haja!

This Portuguese word has two meanings:
-Thanks.
-Traditionally it was the name given to the grapes that we founded in the vineyards after the harvesting.