About Esporão > Douro

The Peculiarities of a Region

The Peculiarities of a Region

This is the oldest demarcated winegrowing region in the world, characterised by an uneven, monumental and sumptuous, dominated by deep and rugged valleys.

The Alto Douro winegrowing region, classified as World Heritage in the cultural landscape category, with a long tradition of wine production, is made up of the Baixo-Corgo, Cima-Corgo and Douro Superior sub-regions.

Quinta dos Murças is situated in one of the most iconic parts of the Alto Douro wine region, between Pinhão and Peso da Régua, where the climate belongs to the Cima Corgo region, where winters are very cold, springs and autumns short with dry and fierce summers.

The topography is rugged and tells the natural history of Man against the elements. Here, deep and steep valleys dominate, forming a variety of microclimates which, when understood, can help create some of the most interesting and sophisticated wines from the Douro.

From the schist and gravel soil sprouts flora amongst the crags, illustrating the resilience of life.

For those living here, there’s a price to pay for the breath-taking beauty of the Douro, however, there are rewards for those who understand and cherish it.

The River Douro both attenuates temperatures and reflects the sun. This effect, combined with the release of heat from the schist soil, helps temper the extreme cold of winter nights.

March 15, 2016