9 editor-picked estates growing Tinto Cao in Douro Valley.
Where to taste Tinto Cao in Douro Valley: the estates that grow it, how the region expresses the grape, and how to book a visit.
Founded in 1692, Taylor's is one of the oldest Port houses and a Fladgate Partnership flagship, famed for long-aged tawnies and structured Vintage Port aged at its Gaia cellars.
Tasting: Audio-guided cellar tour in 13 languages plus tastings; restaurant Barao Fladgate on site.
Signature wines: taylors-vintage-port, taylors-20-year-old-tawny
A Fladgate Partnership house founded in 1815, Fonseca is known for richly fruited Vintage Port and the popular Bin 27 reserve, with cellars in Gaia and the Quinta do Panascal estate.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings in Gaia; Quinta do Panascal visitor estate in the Douro.
Signature wines: fonseca-vintage-port, fonseca-bin-27
A Symington house founded in 1820, Graham's ages its Port at the hilltop 1890 Lodge in Gaia and is known for richly sweet Vintage Port and the Six Grapes reserve.
Tasting: Guided tours of the 1890 Lodge with tiered tastings; Vinum restaurant on site.
Signature wines: grahams-vintage-port, grahams-six-grapes
A single-quinta house above Pinhao owned by AXA Millesimes, Quinta do Noval is famed for its tiny ungrafted Nacional vineyard, source of one of the world's rarest and most expensive Vintage Ports.
Tasting: Estate visits and tastings at the Pinhao quinta, including the celebrated Nacional vineyard.
Signature wines: quinta-do-noval-nacional, quinta-do-noval-vintage-port
A Roquette-family estate on the right bank between Regua and Pinhao, Quinta do Crasto is a leader of the Douro still-wine renaissance, famed for its old-vine field-blend reds.
Tasting: Tours, tastings, lunches and boat trips overlooking the river, by reservation.
Signature wines: quinta-do-crasto-vinha-maria-teresa, quinta-do-crasto-reserva-old-vines
Founded in 1877 by Dona Antonia Ferreira and run by her descendant Francisco Olazabal, this Douro Superior estate makes one of Portugal's most sought-after reds plus the Meandro second wine.
Tasting: Estate visits by appointment at the Douro Superior quinta.
Signature wines: quinta-do-vale-meao-tinto, meandro-do-vale-meao
An Amorim-family estate in the Cima Corgo at Covas do Douro, Quinta Nova is a pioneer of Douro wine tourism, combining a Relais & Chateaux winery hotel with a serious DOC Douro range.
Tasting: Relais & Chateaux winery hotel with tastings, vineyard walks and the Terracu's restaurant.
Signature wines: quinta-nova-grande-reserva, quinta-nova-referencia
Fonseca's source estate in the Tavora valley at Valenca do Douro, Quinta do Panascal opened to visitors in 1992 and offers an audio-guided walk through its terraced vineyards and traditional lagares.
Tasting: Self-guided audio tour of the vineyards and lagares with tastings, one of the Douro's first visitor estates.
A five-generation Baixo Corgo family producer led from Quinta da Gaivosa at Santa Marta de Penaguiao, Alves de Sousa is a DOC Douro specialist known for the Gaivosa and old-vine Abandonado reds.
Tasting: Family estate at Santa Marta de Penaguiao with tours and tastings, booking advised.
Signature wines: quinta-da-gaivosa-tinto, alves-de-sousa-abandonado