The Top 4 Reasons You Should Drink Douro River Valley Wine

1. Harvest By Hand and Crushed By Foot
Portuguese wines are known for value. A good bottle starts at $10-$15. What isn't known is that the Douro River Valley is the most expensive wine growing region in the world.

The steep vineyards were created long before trucks and machines, so the grapes are accessible only by foot. Grape pickers must carry each box uphill to the trucks waiting above in 100 degree heat. This makes for a very labor-intensive and expensive harvesting.

Also many boutique wineries still stomp their grapes by foot. This, again, takes a lot of time and manpower. So, when you drink that $10-$15 bottle, know that it is even more valuable than you thought. This extra TLC and expensive overhead does make very special wine.

2. Port Only Comes from Douro River Valley , Portugal
The Douro River Valley is the only place in the world that can technically grow grapes for Port, kind of like how champagne only comes from France's Champagne region. Wine regions around the world rip off the name for their fortified, sweet wines, but only Port comes from Portugal , and its grapes must come from the Douro River Valley.

3. No Irrigation
To maintain the Port making tradition, the government enacted strict grape-growing standards that every cultivator must adhere to. My favorite is, "You cannot water your grape plants". What the heck? The Douro is appropriately nicknamed "hell" in the summer because of its ungodly sun and extreme heat. How does any farmer expect to produce a crop without water? I kill my tomato plants in one day if I don't water them.

But grapes from the Douro are never watered - ever. (Well, the exception is for baby vines. They can be watered until they mature.) Roots must go 4-6 feet down to find water. This puts a huge strain on the grapes which, ironically makes the wine better. The harder the vines struggle for water, the more tasty soil nutrients get deposited in the grape. No irrigation means blasts of flavor!

4. No Tacky Tourism Overhead
Wine tourism is a good thing. It stabilizes revenue for small producers -- smoothing out the financial wrinkles of slow years. And as a lover of wine, a strong tourism infrastructure provides access to great wine tasting experiences.

However, these are downsides to it as well: cheesy wine knickknack stores, grocery stores with overpriced picnic fixins', bad wine staying in the marketplace because it's subsidized by overpriced lunches served on their terrace, etc.

Also, when regions become hot tourism spots, the price of the wine goes up due to its reputation. Take Napa Valley for example. Because Napa is, I feel their wine is 25% more expensive than comparable wines in California . Great wine, but wow, they are expensive. And they can get away with it.

Douro Valley , by contrast, is much more beautiful than Napa , and it has none of the tacky, price-inflating problems that come along with other wine growing regions, hence making it a good deal and a great place to travel.

A Glowing Review and Eating Blood Sausage with the Quirky People of the Douro

Before we head back to Portugal, I want to let you know that The Seattle Times wine critic, Paul Gregutt, wrote a glowing review of Elemental Importers’ portfolio – highlighting the Domandos Torrontes and the Gozzo Organic Cabernet Sauvignon! This is incredible! He is arguably the most well respected wine writer in the Pacific Northwest, and he is a Contributing Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine. This is in addition to him being a heck of a nice guy. Now we have proof that our wine is good. Thank you, Paul! Now go tell your wine shop (or grocery store) to carry it!
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Port. Many people have tried it, but most understandably know nothing about it. Port is confusing. Ruby…Tawny…LBV...drink now…drink in a century…it’s sweet…it’s dry…it’s red…it is white…aaahhh!!! Well, I’m not giving you a lesson on port today because the good ol’ Wikipedia can do it for me. Check it out here. It’s actually really interesting stuff. I’m also not going to tell you what port to try, and what port not to try. Find a local wine shop doing a tasting…and give it a whirl. It’s worth it.

Instead I’ll provide a tasting of some of the surprisingly quirky people we met in the Douro River Valley …the only region in the world that can technically grow grapes for Port. I like to believe that these charming souls add to the beauty of the wine.

I Love the USA!
One winemaker’s 12-year old son asked in broken English, “Where are you from in the USA ?”. “ Seattle .” “I like Coca Cola!” Come to find out, this boy loves the US so much that when his parents voiced less than positive opinions of George W Bush, he got upset and said, “Stop saying bad things about the US president! You don’t know him!”

Eat Your Veggies...Or Else...
That same family had a cook/ nanny that had been the “head” of the household for many years. In the middle of our tasting with the winery staff, I was startled by a strong “Jab! Jab! Jab!” in my side. I turned to see the 4’9” Woman in Charge herding me to the table like a little girl. The staff abruptly stopped the tasting and joined me. Apparently, lunch was ready. As she served the soup, you could feel her loving energy fill the room, but her weathered face told you there would be hell to pay if you didn’t eat all your veggies. Later, I found a little round bruise on my side. It made me smile.

A Food Porn Entrepreneur
The chef/owner of the DOC Restaurant is a flavor genius. I actually enjoyed his blood sausage. His fine collection of Douro wine was an inspiration. And to my delight, he was as quirky as you’d hope a master chef would be. He elegantly helped us decided on each course, but he made sure that we also saw his new cookbook. Filled with arty photos of him standing barefoot in the Douro River with a chef’s coat, this book took food porn to whole new level! And in addition to the countless magazines and books that raving about his food, our attention was turned to a “remarkable new machine” that mixed like Kitchen Aid and heated like a stove top at the same time. And for only 20 installments of $50, we too could own one. He was certainly an entrepreneur.

The Sweet Smell of Orange Blossom and Meat

The Douro River Valley is a spectacularly beautiful wine growing region. Rugged terraced vineyards slope down hill to a slowly curving blue river. A photographer’s paradise. The light at dusk makes the dry rocky dirt turn a bright orange, while casting dramatic shadows of vines and olive trees onto the road. As the sun sets and the temperature begins to drop swallows come zipping out of their cool corners like an untrained army. Using the wind as their personal rollercoaster, they swoop chaotically through the air collecting unseen bugs for dinner. This breeze also brings with it the sweet small of orange blossoms mixed with savory roasting meat from the restaurant below.

And here sits me and my Ryan on the balcony of our humble guest house. For only 35 euros a night, we have box office seats to the best lightshow in town. Sipping on a local cocktail (inexpensive white port, tonic water, and lime) from our plastic bathroom cups, we smile knowingly to each other. Life is indeed very very sweet.

P.S. And the wine is good. It is very very good. More to come.

White Port from 1953 and the Most Beautiful City in the World

Today we arrived in Porto, Portugal which is located where the Douro River drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Traditionally, the grape growers upriver floated kegs of port down to be warehoused in Porto, where the weather is (slightly) cooler. All of the major producers still warehouse their ports here today. We were so excited to visit a couple of them!

Our mouths watering in anticipation, we set out to wander the city. After only a few minutes, we discovered that it was one of the most beautiful cities in the world! It was an amazing blend of old and new, grit and polish, and everywhere people walked through narrow streets down to the river. We followed the traffic downhill, where just across the river we would be able to find the warehouses (and tasting rooms).

We crossed the river and walked, and walked, and walked uphill until we came upon our first port house: Taylor's. Barrels of all sizes lined up like little port-making soilders. Depending on the size and length of time in barrel, different types of port is made. A quick rule of thumb is, rubys see the shortest time in the barrel; Tawny ports see the longest.

After Taylor's, we went to another port house, and another, and another. By this point we knew dinner was necessary, but it was not to be.

As we searched for Purtugese cuisine, we stumbled upon a bar that specialized in boutique ports, oh my! We quickly befriended the owner and he poured us flight upon flight of varying vintages, types, and vineyards. Towards the end of our stay he came over to us, and with a twinkle in his eye, suggested we each try a glass of white port made in 1953! After his first taste, Ryan said nothing and then started to laugh. After a 20 second pause he said, "This is the finest beverage I have ever tasted in my life." We would have bought the bottle there and then if only it wasn't 190 euros.

After this warm welcome to Portugal I can't wait to dive into the winemaking region and see where all of this comes from!

Giggling All the Way to the Wine Convention

Ryan and I are done with our tour in Dusseldorf, Germany. From the start, this country has made me giggle. Crossing the Belgium/Germany border, I smile at a road sign pointing to “Ausfart”. Who names a town Ausfart? As we drove, I noticed another sign pointing to Ausfart. And then another one. And another one. I said, “Wow! Ausfart must be a really large town!”. Finally everyone else in the car started to giggle too. Ausfart means “exit” in German.

Ryan and I (with my brother in tow) spent the majority of our time at the large ProWein convention. Intended for European wine buyers, this event showcased thousands of wineries and spirits from around the world in a loud tasting frenzy. Sounds fun? It was.

The sheer size was overwhelming. In two days we were only able to cover the Portugal and Argentina sections …and that’s it. We didn’t have time to explore anything else…France, Italy, Austria…nothing. Well, we did enjoy the free cocktails and absinth flying around the “spirits” section at the end of each day.

While a lot of fun and helpful in learning the broad strokes of wine trends, it is a real challenge for importers to find their gems in such an environment. While many small winemakers had a presence by sharing booths, the majority of those represented were the large mega producers and wine marketers. We were sad to see so many booths populated by agents who get paid steep commissions because wineries don’t know how to market on their own. And sadly most agents don’t promote what makes the wine unique.

In such an environment, you simply cannot learn enough about the wine to sell it in the way we believe wine should be sold. We think importers should go to each and every winery they represent. They should meet the winemakers and the workers, see their equipment, meet the staff, touch the soil, smell the air, and feel the sun. When you have these experiences, the wine doesn’t simply smell of sage and taste of honey, you smile with delight when you connect the smell to the herb garden, and the taste to the beehives located close to the grapes. Only then can you know the wine and be able to tell the stories of why it’s special. Wine is not just a commodity.

However, we did find some great leads, but it took a keen eye to look past the flashy signs and cool freebies. So now it is our duty as your wine importers to go to Portugal and visit the wineries and meet the people. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Why Friends and Family Are Imperative to Developing Your Wine and Beer Palate

Ryan and I are home from Europe. During our trip I diligently blogged …in my journal. Internet access, while available, was challenging to find among the grapevines and port tastings. So over the next few weeks I will be blogging as if I were in Europe because I did blog in Europe…it just didn’t make it online until now. Believe me. I know the ending. This
is an adventure you’ll not want to miss.

Ryan and I have been in Europe for three glorious days now, and I have discovered what is now rule number one in Ashley’s Palate Development Mantra:

You Develop Your Best Palate When You Drink with Friends and Family

This doesn’t mean that every time you drink with friends you are expanding your understanding of what makes wine unique. I’ve had plenty of nights where the Carlo Rossi went down far too fast to learn anything about good wine. What I am saying is that when you evaluate wine (or beer) in a sterile environment you may learn a lot about its flavors, textures, and smells, but you do not learn about the soul of the wine. You don’t understand its unquantifiable pizzazz until you drink it with a group of your favorite people.

Ryan and I are in Germany now, but we spent the first few days of our trip in Brussels, Belgium. We were met at the airport by my brother, Adrien, who is living in Germany, and our great friend, Hilbren, who is living in Brussels. We walked off the plane, into Hilbren’s car, and directly into a Brussels pub scene. In a jetlegged haze I learned:

• Belgium beer is as complex and interesting as a great wine.
• Somehow the smell of cigarette smoke in a Belgium bar adds to the enjoyment of its beer.
• Belgium beers are strong. After only a few you find yourself seeing the Grand Place through a delirious fog.
• Belgium beer is very happy. Life isn’t so serious after all.
• My understanding of the depths and flavors of this remarkable beverage sky-rocketed that evening -- not just because I drank it, but because I drank too much of it with three of my favorite men in all the world (my Husband, my brother, and my dear friend) in the city where it was made to be drunk.

Am I saying you must dedicate three bottles of an expensive French wine to a night of drunken fun to understand its greatness? No. Not at all. But would you understand the soul of French wine if you got to partake with great friends in Burgundy – and therefore be a better judge of fine French wine? Absolutely.

Why Argentina?

Of all of the wine regions in the world, why on earth did Elemental Importers start in Argentina ? This is a question we were asked a lot at our Arrival Party! (By the way, the event was HOT. See photos and read about it on our website.). Let me answer that question:

Value for money! Up until a few years ago Argentina was one of the most expensive places in South America. But due to some economic troubles it is now a land of incredible values. We are able to find world-class wines that cost a fraction of what other producers are charging. It is a country where we can find wine that will sell for $10 but tastes like a $20 bottle – how can we pass that up?!?

Argentina is full of innovation. I know. What the heck am I talking about? Well, Ryan’s first forays into the world of wine and beer was when he homebrewed beer in his college dorm room. Therefore, it was only natural that our interest was piqued when we heard that a beer homebrew movement was developing Argentina, and we wanted to check it out along with their great wine. Sadly, Argentina needs perhaps 5 more years of beer play before anything is worth exporting. But we did find a lot of GREAT wine. And the rest is history.

Argentineans are Hip. With all the good wine in the world, Ryan and I decided to only represent what is made by cool people. The marketplace is jammed with corporate mega houses that are devoid of personality and spunk. Along with a great glass of wine, we also wanted a great story…and Argentina – the land of the tango, gauchos and a European culture made spicier with its Latin American roots – is as hip as you can get. These people party Americans and Europeans under the table, and they look fabulous doing it. It’s the best of class and sophistication mixed with grit and personality. And only there can you find winemakers who are professional tango dancers, a winery housed in an old mosaic factory, and vineyards watered from canals built by the Incas. What better place to start a business based on the personality and story of the winemakers?

However, Ryan and I are not stopping with Argentina on our quest for wine with personality. This week we’re flying to a kingdom where the alcohol content of regular wine is so weak they insist on fortifying it – Portugal (with a little stop in Germany and Belgium – we told you we like beer). Where port and green wine reign, we hope to find some treasures and meet some cool people. We will be blogging and updating our Facebook regularly. Come join us!