I do not drink much anymore but was able to put my fraternity training to good use today when, in the sunshine, we went for a port tasting at 11:30 a.m. on relatively (in relation to most of this trip) stomaches. Left foot, right foot … repeat. I am exaggerating but I did feel a buzz from the port and Jesse was singing to Sage quite a bit as we walked back to the Air B & B.
It was another sunny morning and we walked to Gaia crossing the Douro river on the high bridge that I am calling the “trolley bridge” because foot traffic shares it with the trolley system. The views from the bridge are great but I realize that heights are bothering me more as I get older.
After crossing the bridge, you are still very high above the riverfront. We took a Gondola ride down to the riverfront. Sage really enjoyed the ride and I was happy that we bought return tickets and avoided the climb on the way back.
After coffee (of course), we walked a fair distance to Graham’s Port House where we had reserved a tour and wine tasting. While there were similarities to the tour we had in Regua, this tour was interesting. The history of this port company goes back a long way and involved the acquisition of one long-standing family business by another. In today’s world it is hard to imagine a business where the best grapes take decades to develop and where some of your products are aging for a similar period. Their operation is impressive. The tours and the tastings are clearly important to their business model. As you leave, you pass through a store in which they sell their ports. I saw one bottle (among many) from 1952 selling for three thousand Euros.
Our afternoon was low key as the kids napped and we did some of the laundry that has piled up.