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The Douro

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HISTORY

The Douro is the oldest demarcated region in the world. Instituted by the Marquis of Pombal during the reign of D José I in 1756.

Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, cold during the winter and very hot during the summer, it’s soil consists almost totally of schist. The vertical fissures allow the roots to descend many metres which enable the vine to survive the summer heat by providing itself with water from the underground reserves built up during the winter. It has a huge biochemistry which forms it’s great richness. With rich flora and varied terrain, the vines have been planted and tended for hundreds of years, therefore producing not only a geometric but also a stunning landscape.

Our family has produced wine in the Douro for over 160 years. For four generations we produced Port Wine named A.A. Cálem & Filhos (sons) Lda. Sadly the Company was sold in 1997.

The Family tradition is maintained by José Maria Cálem who is the fifth generation and by his son Duarte who is the sixth.

WHERE ARE WE NOW

We are in Vilarinho de Cotas, county of Alijó, that the vineyard, wine cellars and company headquarters are found.

Five kilometres from Pinhão, which is considered the heart of the Douro, and where it all began. Mainly characterized by small plots of land which have come about due to the division of lands over many generations and which are dominated by ‘Old Vines’.

Old Vines are vines planted on narrow terraces or ‘combros’ which are supported by walls formed by stacked schist stones, with no concrete.

Keeping in mind that Port Wine is a blended wine, our forefathers planted dozens of different varieties of grapes (the Douro has 180 varieties of red grapes and 120 of white) all mixed together. This was the only way to simplify the work done in the tasting rooms and contributed to the diversity which is the main feature of the Douro.

All the maintenance and care of the vines is done by hand as the narrow spaces between the vines and the terraces themselves (2.00/2.50 metres) do not allow for mechanisation.

ONDE ESTAMOS

É em Vilarinho de Cotas, Concelho de Alijó que se situam as vinhas, a Adega e a Casa mãe da empresa.

A cinco quilómetros do Pinhão, considerado o coração do Douro, onde tudo começou. Caracterizado maioritariamente por parcelas pequenas, resultado da divisão da propriedade ao longo de muitas gerações, tem uma dominância de vinhas velhas.

Vinhas velhas são vinhas plantadas em patamares estreitos, aqui chamados “combros”, sustentadas em muros de pedra de xisto pousada.

Considerando que o Vinho do Porto é um vinho de lote (blend) os antigos plantavam dezenas de castas (no Douro existem 180 variedades tintas e 120 brancas) todas misturadas. Se assim facilitavam o trabalho na sala de provas, contribuíam para a diversidade que é a principal marca do Douro.

Todo o granjeio é manual porque o compasso estreito (2 metros por 2,50 metros) não permite a mecanização.