River Douro
Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto
New Year Douro River Wine Cruise
29 December 2012 - 2 January 2013
For our 2012/2013 New Year tour we have chartered the MV Douro Prince on the River Douro for a wine cruise. A wonderful way to start the New Year, this will mark the end of our 25th Anniversary Celebrations.
We are very honoured that on the first evening we have been invited to dine in the prestigious setting of the Factory House. This is the private club of the British port trade (the ‘factors’) and we will be hosted by an eminent member of the Port trade. On completion of dinner, we rise and walk through to the identical dining room next door and continue with the cheese, port and cigars. You must learn what the Bishop of Norwich was infamous for before joining this evening!
Next morning we cruise up the Douro, the once raging torrent of a river that is now calm due to a series of dams. We’ll have a day to relax; enjoy the views, have a hosted wine tasting before lunch, and arrive into Pinhão late afternoon. Here we’ll visit Quinta do Passodouro, who have long been part of our special wine tours. Quinta do Passadouro is a Grade A Port Quinta situated not far outside the village of Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley. Under the enthusiast wine maker Jorge Borges, they produce not only some attractive ports (still made by foot treading) but also make some wonderful full bodied red Douro wines from the indigenous varieties such as Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. We will taste these complex wines at this charming small 18th Century estate.
We dine at Quinta de la Rosa, which has been in the Bergqvist family for over 100 years. They produce a good range of ports, as well as wines under the Vale de Clare label, they even produce their own olive oil. The vineyards at this Single Quinta estate range from the banks of the River Douro until 450 metres and this variation in microclimates gives their port a wonderful structure and complexity.
Next morning, we sail back down the Douro in the direction that the Barco Rabelos used when they were carrying pipes of Port down to the warehouses at Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing. We arrive late afternoon and moor up near the iconic Dom Luis Bridge. We have a special tasting at Graham’s Port Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia of a selection of their estates, including Dow’s and Warre’s.
The New Year’s party is on board, with dinner and dancing. Over our on board tastings, lunches and dinners we’ll select a range of the top Portuguese wines from all over the country, from the Douro, the Dão, Bairrada, Ribatejo and Alentejo.
The Wines
The Douro is of course most famous for Port and we will taste many great Ports in both the Tawny and Vintage styles. There are also stunning table wines being produced here in the Douro by a dynamic force of younger wine makers, and we will explore these too.
We’ll select superb wines of character from the top estates around Portugal. From the long established region of Dão, which is hilly with a dry climate and granite soils, you’ll enjoy intense reds and mineral whites from native grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional (famously used in Port, but originally from Dão). Bairrada, the coastal region south of Oporto, with its sany and chalky-clay soils, gives powerful, savoury wines from the Baga grape. You’ll also try wines of Alentejo, long held back by lack of investment, but now doing great things!
About the ship
Our elegant river cruiser is equipped to sleep 48, but we will be just 36, so this will be an intimate party. There is a comfortable single-sitting dining room and a lounge bar, all with panoramic windows, from which to watch the Douro vineyards slip past.
There are 24 outside cabins with en-suite shower/wc. There are 8 main deck twin/doubles with floor to ceiling patio doors and private balconies.There are 15 upper deck twin/doubles with large picture windows. Some of these are allocated as double sole for occupancy. There is 1 spacious double suite with bath.
29 December 2012 - 2 January 2013
from £1999 per person
Places available.See Cabin Prices and Plan below
Price Includes:
3 nights in chosen cabin, 1 night in 5* hotel (standard rooms unless otherwise shown), breakfasts.
7 meals with wines and afternoon tea.
Transport to the Quintas in Pinhão.
Guided walking tour of Oporto.
Arblaster & Clarke Wine Guide.
Arblaster & Clarke Tour Manager.
Extra nights at 5* hotel, Porto: If booked at the time of main booking: £98 per person in standard twin/double; £135 per person in superior twin/double.
Travel: Meet in PortoSole Occupancy: n/a
Deposit: £550.00
Room Upgrade: n/a
New Year Douro River Wine Cruise
Outline Itinerary
29 December 2012: Own travel to Oporto. Check in on board the MV Douro Prince is from 16.00. Pre-dinner drinks served at 18.30. Dinner is at the Factory House.
30 December 2012: Cruise up the Douro with pre-lunch tasting and lunch with Arblaster & Clarke’s wine selection. On arrival in Pinhão we have a tasting visit Quinta do Passadouro and dinner at Quinta de la Rosa.
31 December 2012: Return cruise with lunch on board. Free time to stroll around Oporto, Gala dinner with A&C’s selection of wines during the meal. Music and dancing.
1 January 2013: After a late brunch next morning, we’ll check into our elegant 5* hotel. This afternoon you may join the guided walking tour of the city. Afternoon tea and time to rest before our New Year’s day dinner.
2 January 2013: On the last morning, we Graham’s Port lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia for a special tasting of Ports from their various estates including Dow’s and Warre’s. Departure at leisure. We recommend that you book flights departing from 15.00 onwards or stay on.
Travel Details
The flights are NOT included on this tour in order to give you total flexibility of when you arrive, which airline you would prefer and where you would like to fly from. We are very happy to quote on the main scheduled airlines, and to book these for you (the full price of the flight will be payable, plus our administration fee, in order to book these and is non-refundable and non changeable). We are, however, unable to book the low cost airlines.
The main scheduled operator that flies into Porto is TAP. We recommend flight TP0331 from London Gatwick to Porto departing 29.12.12 at 13:00hrs and flight TP0338 from Porto to London Gatwick departing 02.01.13 at 17:30 hrs.
Budget airlines include Easyjet.
Cabin Prices
| Cabin Description Cabin Numbers | Price £ pp |
| Category 1 Twin, with standard room at 5* hotel. Cabins 201 – 205 & 207 – 212, 214, 215, 217 & 219. | £1999 |
| Category 1 (Twin for Sole Occupancy), with standard room at 5* hotel. Cabins 201 – 205 & 207 – 212, 214, 215, 217 & 219. | £2699 |
| Suite, with a suite at 5* hotel. Cabin 206. | £3299 |
| Category 2 (Double with Balcony), with superior room at 5* hotel. Cabins 101 – 108. | £2599 |
Wine Notes...
Click here to read wine notes by Tim Clarke and Andrew Williams on wine regions visited.
