It’s a corker
girly afternoon at the Pink Palace, exploring the world of rosé wines. It would make the perfect hen party location.
As we toured the museum, glass in hand, we tried five wines: Quinta Vale do Bragão Rosé, AIX Rosé Gran Vin de Provence, Mateus Rosé, Vértice Rosé Bruto and Croft Pink rosé port.
And we dived into a pink ball pool, popped out of a giant bottle of fizz, got behind the wheel of a pink Cadillac and... well, to be honest the whole thing got a bit psychedelic and hazy after that. But it was definitely fun!
My personal highlight, however, was the Chocolate Story Museum where we took part in an incredible three-hour Port and Chocolate
Pairing workshop led by chocolatier and chef extraordinaire Pedro Araújo.
Pedro has spent the last 10 years of his life finding the perfect cacao beans, and travelling the world to search out ethical cacao plantations where children and slave labour are not used. He has met workers on cacao plantations who have worked their entire lives and never eaten chocolate.
At the Chocolate Story you can see the results of Pedro’s quest and his Vinte Vinte range of chocolate bars are made in front of your eyes. I had never eaten
chocolate like it. During the workshop I learned how to melt a tiny square of 70% dark chocolate on my tongue and then find the perfect vintage ruby port to drink with it. It was the kind of dazzling taste experience you could never achieve without expert help.
One last thing – Porto is just a 1.5-hour flight from the UK, and the airport is a short cab ride outside the city. Get an early flight and your holiday is well and truly off to a great start by lunchtime.
The people in Porto have been making wine and providing hospitality to us Brits for hundreds of years.
They exude good old-fashioned family values, warmth and an open-hearted friendliness which makes them the perfect hosts. Expect to be WOW-ed.
WHERE TO STAY
The five-star Yeatman Hotel is the perfect base for a visit to Porto, with every luxury you’d expect from a prestigious Relais & Châteaux group property with a restaurant that has achieved not one but two Michelin stars.
It’s set within seven acres of land, has outdoor and indoor infinity pools and is just a five-minute walk to the WOW district.
As an added bonus it shares those stellar views across the Douro to the historic centre and the Luis I Bridge.
Exploring rosé wines at the Pink Palace would be perfect for a hen party