All it takes is one glance at the grounds of Quinta Dona Maria, which includes a grand villa and surrounding gardens, to realize wine tasting in Portugal comes with a good dose of history. The vineyard is located in Estremoz, just northeast of the first-century Roman ruins found in Evora. In 1718 King João V built this estate for his lover, Dona Maria. When she died, the current owner’s ancestors purchased the land and have been making wine ever since. Taste the wine, which is terrific, especially the full-bodied red Dona Maria Grand Reserve. Then venture inside a building that stores large amphora vases, including one dating back to the 1200s.

Indeed, this small sliver of a country on the western edge of Europe has been making wines since Roman times. Best known for its sweet Port found in Porto, Portugal today produces a remarkable variety of award-winning wines that will satiate anyone’s palate, from the low-alcohol white wines of Vinho Verde, created in the cooler climes, to the rosés and dry whites of the Douro Valley and the robust reds of the hot and sunny Alentejo region.

© Joao Maniata | Dreamstime.com

The famous Port houses lining the riverbank of Porto, home to centuries-old brands like Sandeman and Taylor, are by far the most popular spots to wine taste in the country. And yes, the wine terraces that rise precipitously from the shoreline of the Douro River are strikingly beautiful. But a better first stop might be Alentejo, which offers the wine lover numerous ways to sample wine, including dinners at Quinta Dona Maria, even staying at a wine hotel dating to the 14th century. An hour’s drive south of Lisbon, the Alentejo region contains a mere 5 percent of the country’s population, thus offering a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a land known for its top-notch wines, meats and cheeses. You’ll also find forests of thick, gnarly-looking cork oak trees, whose bark is used primarily to stopper the bottles of many European wines.

Another must stop is Fitapreta Vinhos, a 15-minute drive north of Evora. Acclaimed winemaker Antonio Macanita took the shell of a 14th-century medieval manor and rehabbed it in 2017 into a world-class wine tasting destination. Tour the grounds, which reward you with glorious vistas of the surrounding hills and rows of vineyards, then go downstairs into the cellar to find massive oak barrels, some dating to the 17th century, filled with wine. Lastly, taste the crisp white wines and ripe new red wines that reap accolades from wine critics.

© Sohadiszno | Dreamstime.com

In the northwestern part of Alentejo, you’ll find elegant Torre de Palma Wine Hotel. The estate of a prominent family since the 14th century, the villa is now a Design Hotel under the auspices of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. After a day of touring the region, grab a glass of its quaffable red wine and head up four flights of stairs to the top of a tower in the middle of the property. As the sun sets, you’ll have wonderful views of the nearby horse corral and vineyards in the distance. This will only whet your appetite for dinners of tender veal or charred octopus in its contemporary restaurant, washed down with a sampling of its whites and reds.

As you head north, the Douro Valley is best experienced on a river cruise on the legendary Douro River. That way, you can slow down and take in the splendor of the majestic ridges laced with vineyards. In the charming riverfront town of Pinhao, within easy walking distance of the town’s finest lodging, The Vintage House Hotel, you’ll find Quinta de la Rosa. In operation since 1815, the winery is best known for its acclaimed red wine, Vale do Inferno, complex due to its 16 months of aging in French oak casks and with flavors of blackberry. At a wine tasting you’ll also get the chance to try its thirst-quenching rosé, La Rosa, perfect on a summer’s eve.

Just as you save a good Port wine until the end of dinner, save Porto for last. Stop by one of the legendary Port houses in town for a tasting and a meal, but then taxi 10 minutes to the outskirts of the city to tour Poças winery. This is one of the rare wineries producing Port that is still owned by a Portuguese family, currently under the helm of the fourth generation. Sip the best-selling Tawny Ports in a wine cellar that exudes their century-old history, but also try the White Port, less sweet and just as satisfying. Glass in hand, toast to the end of a most memorable wine-tasting journey.

INFO TO GO
From Lisbon, a 90-minute drive gets you to Evora, the heart of the Alentejo region. All of the Alentejo wineries mentioned were experienced on a bike trip created by DuVine Cycling. Reach the Douro Valley on a river cruise line like AmaWaterways or Scenic. Or drive two hours east of Porto to stay in Pinhao.