Any visitor to the Douro Valley in Portugal is struck by the timeless peace and apparent calm of this extraordinarily beautiful mountainous vineyard region. However, beauty can deceive. The Douro is currently fighting for a sustainable future, with the outcome up in the air and the community divided into disputing factions: progressives versus traditionalists, smallholders versus large producers, growers of grapes for port versus growers supplying grapes for Douro DOC table wines… And the climate versus...
The fate of the Douro sealed?
Guest contributor
Wednesday 15 June 2022
James Mayor reports from northern Portugal on a brave attempt to solve the problems of the Douro, against which too many odds are stacked.
Become a member to continue reading
Celebrating 25 years of building the world’s most trusted wine community
In honour of our anniversary, enjoy 25% off all annual and gift memberships for a limited time.
Use code HOLIDAY25 to join our community of wine experts and enthusiasts. Valid through 1 January.
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 285,515 wine reviews & 15,806 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 285,515 wine reviews & 15,806 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 285,515 wine reviews & 15,806 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 285,515 wine reviews & 15,806 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Don't quote me
Don't quote me
Two fabulous weekends, and a lot of tasting. The Tuscan weekend is exemplified by the outdoor Sunday lunch pictured above...
Don't quote me
Multiple tastings and one visit to a vineyard this month.
I still have a physical diary. In August I had...
Don't quote me
Hot, hot, hot – and much quieter than usual. Above, one of Sylt’s many (delightfully cool) beaches.
This month’s diary...
Don't quote me
Winners and dinners and much else besides. Above, the Supreme Champion trophy at this year's Wine GB Awards. Since 1989...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Tasting articles
Plenty of drinking pleasure on offer in 2024 – and likely without a long wait. The team at Clos du...
Inside information
Yields are down but pleasure is up in 2024, with ‘drinkability’ the key word. Above, a wintry view Château de...
Nick on restaurants
A daughter revives memories of her parents’ much-loved Chinese restaurants.
The surname Poon has long associations with the world of...
Inside information
The fifth of a new seven-part podcast series giving the definitive story of Jancis’s life and career so far. For...
Free for all
What do you get the wine lover who already has everything? Membership of JancisRobinson.com of course! (And especially now, when...
Free for all
A wide range of delicious reds for drinking and sharing over the holidays. A very much shorter version of this...
Tasting articles
The fine sparkling-wine producers of Oregon are getting organised. Above, Lytle-Barnett’s Windfall vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (credit: Lester...
Wines of the week
A rare Austrian variety revived and worthy of a place at the table. From €13.15, £20.10, $24.19.
It was pouring...