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A LITTLE MORE ABOUT DOURO

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT DOURO

The vision from the river to the two margins is a unique experience.

The vision from the river to the two margins is a unique experience.
1678
Port wine item

The customs of the city of Porto makes the first log of an export of a product named Port Wine.


1703
Methuen Treaty

Methuen Treaty, also known as the treaty of cloths and wine, concluded between Great Britain and Portugal in the reign of Dom Pedro II.
By its terms, the Portuguese undertook to consume the British textile hitherto prohibited, and in return, the British would consume the wines of Portugal these being imported at reduced or zero duty.
With only three articles, it is the smallest text of European diplomatic history.


1756
First wine demarked area in the world

Created the first wine demarked region in the world, in the reign of José I, by its Prime Minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo (Marquês de Pombal) in the year 1756.
This region runs along the Douro River and its tributaries from Buarcos (Mesão Frio) to Barca D’Alva, an area of ??250,000 ha.


1791
Cachão da Valeira demolition

Completion of the demolition of the Cachão da Valeira, which began in 1780, and that allowed the navigation of the Douro to Barca d’Alva and the Spanish border.


1861
The Forrester Baron dies

The Scottish Joseph James Forrester , born 27 May 1809 in Kingston upon Hull was the precursor of scientific studies on viticulture, mapping and photography in the Douro Valley .
In his 1844 book ” A word or two about Port wine ” declared war on those who tampered wine . Also studied the vine powdery mildew caused by Oidium tuckeri and drew notable maps of the valley of the Douro ( Douro River Map ) .
Painted several watercolors , and has authored The Portuguese Douro and Adjacent Country ( 1848 ) and the Prize Essay on Portugal and its Capabilities ( 1859) .
Throughout his work, he was granted the title of Baron by King Ferdinand II in 1855.
In 1861 the boat turned in Cachão Valeira and Forrester was dragged down because of the belt with money he had with him. His body was never found. In this final voyage, he was accompanied by D. Antonia Adelaide Ferreira , better known as “Ferreirinha” , That did not drown because of her balloon skirts that made her float to the bank of the Douro river. Nowadays, with the dams that have been built, the Cachão da Valeira is not so dangerous to navigators of the Douro .
You can contemplate the beauty of the Cachão from a nearby hill known as ” S. Salvador do Mundo.”
( source: wikipedia )


1865
News of phylloxera infestation in the Douro Valley

First news of phylloxera infestation in Portugal, in the Douro Valley. Phylloxera is an insect native to North America, which wiped out entire vineyards in Europe, establishing itself as the most devastating plague of world viticulture.
The solution was to graft the Douro vineyards onto rootstocks from American strains, resistant to phylloxera damage.


1872
Begining of the construction of the Douro Train Line

Begining of the construction of the Douro Train Line, starting in Porto, after a 1867 government decision.


1880
The Douro Train Line arrives to Pinhão

The Douro Train Line gets to the heart of the Douro demarcated Port wine region.


1887
The Douro Train Line arrives to Barca D’Alva

The Douro Train Line arrives at Barca D’Alva through 35 bridges and 23 tunnels. Barca D´Alva is on the Portuguese border, and from there it had connections to Madrid and Salamanca.


1896
D. Antónia Ferreirinha dies

Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira was born in Godim, Peso da Régua on the July 4, 1811 and died in the same location March 26, 1896 ). Best known for A Ferreirinha, was a Portuguese businesswoman from the nineteenth century.
Was known to be devoted to the cultivation of Port Wine, and to the remarkable innovations that she introduced. Her family was very wealthy, had lots of money and vineyards. His father, José Bernardo Ferreira married her to a cousin, but he is not interested in the culture of the family and squandered much of the fortune.
D. Antonia had two children: a girl, Maria Assuncão, later Countess of Azambuja, and a boy, Antonio Bernardo Ferreira. She became a widow at the age of 33 and then a a true vocation of entrepreneur awakened in her.
It is known that A Ferreirinha cared about the workers’ families from their land and wineries . Supported by the administrator José da Silva Torres, later her second husband, Antonia Adelaide Ferreira fought against the lack of support from successive governments, more interested in building roads and purchase Spanish wines. She struggled against the disease of vines, phylloxera and went to England to obtain information on the most modern and effective means of combating this pest, as well as more sophisticated processes of wine making. A Ferreirinha invested in new plantations of vines in areas more exposed to solar radiation, without also abandoning the plantations of olive trees, almond trees and cereals.
Vesuvio, one of hers many properties, was by her closely watched. In 1849 the winery was already producing 700 barrels of wine. Because of good agreements, most wine was exported to the UK, still the largest importer of Port.
When died in 1896, she left a considerable fortune and about 30 wine farms.
From Douro to the world, she passed the legend of tenacity and kindness.
( source: wikipedia )


1971
Carrapatelo Dam

Finished the Carrapatelo Dam with a navegation lock with a 35,0 meter gap.


1973
Bagaúste Dam

Finished the Bagaúste Dam with a navegation lock with a 28,5 meter gap.


1976
Valeira Dam

Finished the Valeira Dam with a navegation lock with a 33,0 meter gap.


1983
Pocinho Dam

Finished the Pocinho Dam with a navegation lock with a 22,0 meter gap.


1986
Crestuma-Lever Dam

Finished the Crestuma-Lever Dam with a navegation lock with a 13,9 meter gap.