IX Half Marathon of Douro / IX Meia Maratona do Douro

Imagem: https://www.facebook.com/Douro.ConVida

Imagem:http://all4running.pt/event/edp-meia-maratona-douro-vinhateiro/

Imagem:https://www.facebook.com/MeiaMaratonaDouroVinhateiro

Did you know that next week, May 18, will be held on the 9th Half Marathon of Douro? "The most beautiful race in the world" has about 10 000 participants. This year, the organization is preparing the best edition ever for several foreign participants can make the most of this region.

The (Coimbos de Portugal - CP) "Trains of Portugal", railway company, is promoting this event so that increasingly you enjoy good scenery and products from Douro. Port wine and apple of Armamar will attend this IX Half Marathon of Douro. 

The Museum of Port Wine

The Museum of Port Wine is part of the city's landscape. Those passing by the river Douro can see a warehouse from the 18^th century, where this museum is located, since 2004.

Fonte: http://www.cm-porto.pt/gen.pl?sid=cmp.sections/63&page=5&stackid=97b56c5f5b597f3e

Their goal is to spread the history and importance of the port wine. According to the museum, the Port wine trade helped the historical development of the city. Who visits this museum can see posts and illustrative panels of all commercial activity, the wine region, the railway line of the Douro, the Rabelo boats, the evolution of the bottles and other products related to this wine.

What are you waiting for?

Origins of Port Wine

The first demarcated wine region in Portugal was the Douro's region.

During the reign of D. José I, his minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, who would get known in history as the Marquês de Pombal, created the "Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro", based in Oporto, with order to limit the influence of English in the trades of Douro Wine and resolve the crisis that the region lived.

Fonte: http://www.ateneulivros.com/website/?attachment_id=11602

Composed by the leading wine producers in the Alto Douro and the great merchants of Oporto, the Company should sustain the cultivation of vineyards and maintain their production in its original purity.

The first reference to Port Wine date 1678.

A combination of chocolate and port wine

Do you enjoy Cálem Port Wine? And chocolate? And chocolate from Arcádia?

If so, be sure to try the perfect marriage of chocolate and wine ... Here's Chocolates Port Wine, in its various presentations. Their packs have pictures of the Douro, the wine cellars and even a peculiar element of this river, the Rabelo boats. According to the director of communications of the caves, it is planned to launch more editions with other images, and other topics.

Fonte: www.arcadia.pt

The different boxes of chocolates cost between € 8 and € 30, depending on their size. These little treats are on sale in Cálem and the Arcadia stores.

Gastronomy: Port Wine Fest

Port Wine Fest is an event not to be missed in Cais de Gaia.

Source: http://www.portowinefest.com/pt

Extending around the Port Wine, it will have several activities related to tasting exceptional wines and cuisine.

Gastronomy: History of Port Wine

 The Port Wine is a natural wine produced exclusively from grapes from Douro. Régua and Pinhão are the main production centers.

Although produced with grapes from Douro and stored in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, this alcoholic beverage became known as “port wine” because it was exported to the world from this city.

Fonte: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinho_do_Porto

The "discovery” of Port wine is controversial. One version, advocated by the British, says that it has his origin in the 17^th century, when they added brandy to the wine to prevent it from being sour. But the process that characterizes obtaining nectar was known well before the trades with the English. In the age of the Portuguese Discoveries, wine was stored this way to conserve as much as possible during the trips. The fundamental difference lies in the production area and in the varieties used, that today are protected.

Fonte: http://www.taylor.pt/pt/apreciar-porto/copos-vinho-do-porto/

What makes the port wine different from the remaining wines is the unique climate and that the fermentation is not complete. It was stopped at an early stage (two or three days after the initiation), by adding a neutral brandy (about 77º alcohol). So, the Port wine is a naturally sweet wine (since the natural sugar of the grapes is not completely transformed) and stronger than other wines (between 19º and 22º alcohol).

There are three types of port wine: White, Ruby and Tawny.

Patrimony: Ferreirinha

Ferreirinha (see previous posts), striking figure in the history of Port wine, left us a heritage of high quality wines. You can learn more about this legacy by making a visit to the Caves Ferreira.

Patrimony: Ferreirinha

Source: http://quintadasparcelas.blogs.sapo.pt/6911.html

D. Antonia Adelaide Ferreira (1811-1896), better known as Ferreirinha, played a pivotal role in the dissemination of Port Wine.

From her first marriage to Antonio Bernardo Ferreira (1812-1844), her cousin, she inherited a fortune and vast estates, to which she gave very good use.

She fought against the lack of support from the Portuguese government, which was more interested in Spanish wines. Armed with popular support, she always took her along.

This lady will go down in history for the technical innovations she brought to the vineyards, the prosperity she got in Douro wines and for the social action that she performed among the workers of her land, who she very much carried about.

Did you know ...?

Imagem: www.ivdp.pt

Did you know that Porto's wine is divided into three types of wine? White, Ruby and Tawny are the types of Porto's wine produced by the Douro region.
This wine is also divided into categories: "Reserva", LBV, Old Tawny, Vintage and "Colheita".