A Historical Journey between Portugal and England
Discussing port wine entails embarking on a journey into the past. Each glass of port wine, served ceremoniously in a slender glass, contains countless stories.
The distinctive flavour stems from the indigenous grapes of the Douro wine region. The Romans initiated production upon their arrival in Portugal in the 2nd century BC and began on the banks of the Douro River, where they cultivated and produced wine. After the foundation of the Portuguese kingdom, wine became one of the leading export products. However, the port wine we know today emerged later.
The Treaty of Windsor was signed in 1386. A political, military, and commercial alliance between England and Portugal allowed merchants from both countries to trade goods. Over time, numerous English merchants established themselves in Portugal. By the 15th century, the main commodities for exchange were wine for England and codfish for Portugal.
Another significant treaty was the Treaty of Westminster, signed in 1654. This treaty bolstered the trade exchanges between the two countries, granting benefits to the English and Scots residing in Portugal, such as preferential customs duties. Before Porto became the primary trading hub, trade exchanges occurred in Viana do Castelo, where textiles from England were imported, and cereals and olive oil were exported.
In 1667, a series of misunderstandings between the English and French led Louis XIV’s prime minister to restrict the importation of goods from England to France. In response, Charles II of England raised the tax on French wine and eventually banned its importation. This historic event boosted Portuguese wine exports, benefiting English traders residing in Viana do Castelo.
As sales increased, traders began to realise that the English did not appreciate the light and unstable wine from that region. For that reason, they started to explore more inland territories in the north of Portugal.
You probably already guessed where these traders found rich soils for wine production that were more pleasing to the English. It was in the Upper Douro, an area where the renowned port wine is still produced to this day!
If you are a fan of port, Mar d’Estórias offers the Port Wine Trilogy, an experience in which you can savour white port wine, LBV, and tawny aged for 10 years.
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