Uncorking a Douro delight

Quinta da Corte, in the beautiful Douro Valley, has been tastefully restored by international designer Pierre Yovanovitch, who has preserved both its soul and sense of place. The superlative wines are worth the journey alone.

LOCATION 9/10

Just under two miles away from pretty Pinhao, which sits right on the edge of the Douro river, Quinta da Corte is high in the hills above the river surveying the 60 acres of vineyards it owns that roll down the steep slopes beneath it.

With leading wine estates all around, this is an excellent base for a tasting journey. Porto airport and its increasingly dynamic city is approximately one hour and 45 minutes away.

STYLE AND CHARACTER 9/10 A perfect blend of 19th-century rural Portuguese authenticity with 21st-century creature comforts comes courtesy of the talented Yovanovitch, who has managed to capture the soul of a Douro quinta (farmhouse).

Drawing on traditional Portuguese materials, from terracotta floor tiles to hand-painted wall tiles in deep glossy green or blue and white, Yovanovitch has overlaid this with antique or bespoke furniture, drawings from David Nash, Moroccan straw mats and contemporary fixtures, such as the pale pink glass bubbles suspended over the kitchen table (itself of note, with a map of the region hand-painted on its tiled surface) which came from a collaboration with Swiss glassmaker Matteo Gonet.

The library, with books chosen by Yovanovitch, is graced by a trio of ancient, hand-carved, wooden masks made for carnival in the nearby town of Lamego. Silence reigns with no flat screens and patchy Wi-Fi at best.

SERVICE AND FACILITIES 8/10

Staff will plan an itinerary should you wish to visit other wineries, but most visitors make the most of the beautiful pool with its views over the vineyards and indulge in the Quinta’s wines. From Quinta da Corte’s white, made solely with the viosinho grape to the blackberry notes of the Princesa red and the velvety Grande Reserva, the wines are sublime.

Wine maker Marta Casanova is on site to talk to and while she does the wines, alongside French consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, the ports are hers. It’s a range that encompasses 10-year-old and 20-year-old Tawny, Late Bottled Vintage and Vintage that come from vines which are more than 70 years old.

There are hiking trails within the Quinta’s grounds and picnic spots. Cruises on the Douro, working in the vineyard or becoming a winemaker for a day are all possible upon request.

The new winery, wrought from local materials of schist and wood was also designed by Yovanovitch.

ROOMS 9/10

There are eight rooms, ensuring a real private home atmosphere. Four are in the main house and four more, which are more contemporary in design, lie in outbuildings. Each one is different in feel and decor.

Mine, in the main house, had a stand-alone tub in the bathroom with a glossy green tiled wall backing it and curtains to draw around it. Telephones are retro rotary types, beds are clad in exquisite linen and views behind the wooden shutters are of the vineyards in all directions.

FOOD AND DRINK 8/10

Continuing the concept of being a home from home, the food brings the best of the region, simply done, to the table. Lunch might be a puff pastry pie filled with minced veal and a home-made quiche.

Dinner, served in the kitchen or outside on the terrace overlooking the vineyards might be bacalhau with potato, roast octopus or pork loin with spinach, followed by a panna cotta with red fruits or a cheesecake. All paired with wine.

VALUE FOR MONEY 9/10 Doubles from €170 (£152) in low season; and from €280 in high. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

ACCESS FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES?

There are two adapted rooms.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY?

It’s more suited to adults.

Mary Lussiana