Port wine was discovered in the XVII century when English merchants, eager to increase their trade with Portugal, mixed Douro wine with cognac to avoid being damaged on the way back.
That was when they discovered that the stronger and sweeter the wine, the better it tasted.
As time went on, the methods of maturation and mixing got more sophisticated and are still used in the warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia, where the wine is finished and bottled.
Every single year, at the end of September, groups of workers from neighbouring regions gather in the area of Douro to recoil grapes and more than forty varieties are used to produce Port wine.
Due to its characteristics, Port Wine was and still is one of Portugal’s and World’s principal ambassadors: as an appetizer, digestive or just to accompany a social interaction.
Moscatel
Moscatel is the name we give to an especially sweet kind of grapes, which give origin to a wine produced between river Tejo and river Sado.
This generous wine is a good appetizer, a complement to desserts and is very refreshing when iced.
Favaios
This premium product is mostly produced in the north, in the region of the Douro river. Its uniqueness makes it famous worldwide.
Since it is a sweet muscatel wine made from muscatel grape, it has a glycerin flavor mixed with other flavors such as honey and jams. Its look is a clear one, bright gold and has a scent of orange and honey.