Europe 2023 September 3rd Day 31 - Duoro Valley, river cruise, wine, lunch, port and let's hope NOT CoVid

Another early start to the day as we were being collected at 7.45am for our small group (max 8) tour to the Duoro valley. We were picked up in the Renault van by Sandro and as we were the last two Jane sat in the back with a young couple from Boston and I sat in the middle row next to an older couple (he was 71) from Iowa. The other two were a young couple from Canada, but not French 😂.

It was 90 minutes to our first stop and we had a quick 15 minute break at a car stop where I had another abysmal coffee of which I threw away over half of it. First stop was then Pinhao, a very narrow windy road from the top down to the river for the boat trip up the valley which was most enjoyable. More rain of course but didn't matter as scenery was beautiful.

We then went back up the hill to a small family owned winery, Quinta do Jalloto ,(20 hectares of grapes, 60 varieties and olives, 4 varieties ) who produced their own wine, olive oil and approx 2 tons of honey from the father's bee hives. Had a small tour then sat down for a tasting of the wine, olive oil and honey. White and rose were nice but 2012 red was average in my opinion. The view over the valley from this vineyard was spectacular.

From here we then headed back down into the town of Pinhao, where we had a look at the tile friezes on the railway station from early 1900's before crossing to road to a small restaurant where we had a brilliant, very filling meal. Pork and beans, sausage, veal and potato , drunken cake, all extremely filling, with red and white wine of course.

Now here is where things were a little interesting. The older man from Iowa who had a cough from the minute we joined the tour had fallen rapidly in health and didn't drink any wine at the first place and then decided to sit in the van during lunch. When Sandro bought the van back after lunch with him inside he didn't seem well at all. Nurse Jane got him to have a paracetamol ( his wife did not seem concerned) and after a while he did pick up a bit but still didn't look good, brilliant here we go with CoVid. We left Pinhao and travelled across the river and up more winding roads, this time to a small port producer, Quinta do Tedo, only 15 hectares of vines. They were processing some grapes when we arrived and we had a small tour and explanation before a nice tasting of a rose port (unusual) tawny and LBV which were all very nice. During the tasting the heavens opened and the power even went off for a short time.

However it was now 4.30pm and time to get back in the bus for the trip back. Old timer slept most of the way with his hacking cough.🤬 No rain on the way back and we were at our hotel a bit after 6pm.

As we had been sitting most of the day in the bus we headed out for a walk around in the twilight, found the laundromat recommended by the hotel for tomorrow.  We were still so full from lunch we ended up with just a glass of wine each and a plate of chips to share.

Caught a nice glimpse of the setting sun and after another long day, hoping the tummy will feel a bit better tomorrow and that it was a cold and nothing more sinister from our Iowa chap.