Can you name the very first Douro white or red wine?

[Roy Hersh]

Not a trick question, I am not talking about any Ports, just a table wine. One hint, it came before Barca Velha in 1952 was even conceived.

[Jan-Tore Egge]

I don't know the answer off hand, so I would have to check, but I'm reminded of Baron Forrester, who spoke against fortification of port. I presume, therefore, that he made unfortified wine, sometime around the middle of the 19th century. (He died in 1862, didn't he?) But does such a wine fit your description?

And there must have been table wines before they started making fortified wines, but I guess they weren't DOC or anything.

[Frederick Blais]

Tricky questions indeed because dry wine was made from the 200BC to around 1830 as the majority of the product made from grapes in the Douro. After that it was made from the left over mainly. The DOC for table wine was created in 1979.

So what do you consider Official first Douro wine?

[Roy Hersh]

Simply put, this is not trying to be a tricky question ... just a somewhat difficult one. The answer to Frederick's question is this: It was commercially released and sold, and it was vinified some time between the beginning of the 20th century and Barca Velha's debut in 1952. Probably gives it away for the Google-heads but it still won't be easy.

[Frederick Blais]

Ok :) I never remember that name but I know in which book to look in

Appart from that I would have said Kopke, which was the first officially recorded house to have ship wine as name Porto back in the days.

[Roy Hersh]

No cheating!

[Frederick Blais]

No cheating!

Is it cheating to look into a book for a badly affected Port memory?

[Frederick Blais]

I found a Dial-up connection I could use from home

Here is what I had in mind from what stated above. From MB book, I'd say that the wine is Bussaco or Buçaco, but reading more.... I see that this wine is from Coimbra, a bit too much South . My intuition did not serve me on this!

But if I did my homework correctly, the first white from Douro should be Encostas do Tua, is it a good answer?

[Roy Hersh]

Fred,

Earlier, I was only joking around. Of course you are entitled to find the answer in a book if you want to do the research. A great way to learn and that of course, is what this is all about. However good your above answer may be, it does not provide the name of the very first Douro wine.

[Roy Hersh]

Are you ready for a hint (big or little is your choice)?

[Jan-Tore Egge]

Yes, give us a hint, please.

[Roy Hersh]

Read the current newsletter. The answer is there, bright as sun light.

[Jan-Tore Egge]

Oh well, Evel Grande Escolha (ca.) 1920, red.

You caught us out.

[Frederick Blais]

Oops I'm late in my lectures

[Roy Hersh]

Jan-Tore is the winner and new champion!

[Jan-Tore Egge]

Does that mean I win a case of 1931 Nacional?

[Roy Hersh]

Yes, but only if you can be here by breakfast tomorrow. Otherwise, you forfeit your Grand Prize!

[Jan-Tore Egge]

Careful, Roy. If I hadn't been so busy, I just might have jumped on the first plane over there.

[Roy Hersh]

You are always welcome to do so, the only case that I have that even comes close in the 1963 Nacional. Very little in the way of bottles are left, but the original wooden (12 pack) case sure looks great!