The Douro Valley is a place of extremes. Heat that shimmers off the schist, slopes so steep they’d give a mountain goat vertigo, a river that slices through the landscape like a well-aimed sabre. It’s been a wine region for over 2,000 years, but for much of its modern history, it’s been known for one thing: Port.
A drink of tradition and status, Port built the Douro, lining the cellars of British aristocrats and keeping the merchants of Vila Nova de Gaia busy for centuries. But the region is evolving, and if there’s one family proving that the Douro is more than just fortified wine, it’s Symington. For over 140 years, they’ve been at the forefront of Port production, but these days, they’re just as focused on what happens outside the barrel.
The Symington legacy: A family that built the Douro
To understand where the Douro is heading, it helps to know who’s been steering the ship for more than a century. Symington Family Estates is the name behind some of the region’s most storied Port houses – Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s – but their roots run even deeper.
It all started in 1882 when a young Scotsman, Andrew James Symington, arrived in Portugal and embedded himself in the world of Port. He married into a family with Port-producing heritage stretching back to the early 1800s, and his descendants have been shaping the Douro ever since.
Five generations later, Symington remains a family-run business, now led by the fourth and fifth generations. In a changing of the guard, Rob Symington has recently stepped up as co-CEO alongside head winemaker Charles Symington. Together, they continue to balance tradition with innovation, proving that the Douro’s greatest strength isn’t just its history – it’s its ability to adapt.
A valley built on Port, but just that anymore
Port has always been the Douro’s crown jewel, but the valley’s winemaking history is far older. The Romans first planted vines here, no doubt impressed by the sheer drama of the landscape. But it was in the 17th century that the Douro cemented itself as a major player in the wine world, thanks to a row between Britain and France that left the former in need of a new supplier. Enter Portugal, where wines were not only plentiful but – when fortified with brandy – travelled well. The rest, as they say, is history.
By the 18th century, Port was big business, leading to the world’s first officially demarcated wine region, regulated by the Marquês de Pombal. The Douro became a land of law and order, at least where winemaking was concerned. Yet despite its long winemaking history, unfortified Douro wines were largely an afterthought until relatively recently. That’s changing – fast.
So, can the Douro really do fine wine?
A few decades ago, suggesting that the Douro could compete with Bordeaux or Napa in the fine wine stakes might have earned you a look of polite disbelief. But today, it’s happening, and Symington is leading the charge.
The shift isn’t just a marketing ploy. The region’s indigenous grape varieties – Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz – have been making exceptional wines for centuries. It’s just that, until now, most of them went into Port.
Symington’s portfolio is proving what the Douro is capable of. Quinta do Vesuvio, long famed for its powerhouse vintage Ports, is now producing a Douro DOC red that’s structured, elegant and every bit as compelling as its fortified counterparts. Quinta do Ataíde, a vineyard instrumental in reviving Touriga Nacional, is producing Vinha do Arco, a single-varietal wine of remarkable depth and finesse. Their Altano range, meanwhile, is making Douro wines more accessible than ever, with bottles that balance power and elegance in equal measure.
This isn’t about abandoning Port; it’s about proving that the Douro can do both.
Climate change is the uninvited guest at the table
Of course, making wine in the Douro is challenging enough without climate change throwing a spanner in the works. Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and prolonged droughts are making an already extreme region even more so. Symington, however, isn’t standing still.
One of the biggest shifts has been their expansion into higher-altitude vineyards, where cooler temperatures allow for slower ripening and better acidity retention. Their organic vineyard programme – the largest in northern Portugal – reflects their commitment to sustainability, as does their ongoing research into heat-resistant grape varieties. They’re not just making wine for today; they’re ensuring the Douro can keep making wine for generations to come.
The wine world has taken notice. In 2024, Symington was named Green Company of the Year at The Drinks Business Green Awards, largely due to their work at Adega do Ataíde, which also secured Wine Company of the Year. The winery is LEED Gold certified, putting it in the upper echelon of sustainable wine buildings worldwide. With an ultra-low-impact design, a glass light-weighting programme and significant investment in solar power, it’s a model of what the future of winemaking should look like. One judge called it “the type of project other wineries should look to”.
Not that they’re stopping there. Symington was also the first wine company in Portugal to become a certified B Corporation, proving that their commitment to sustainability extends beyond the vineyard. They support conservation projects like Rewilding Portugal, which is restoring natural habitats in the Greater Côa Valley.
A first-hand look at the Douro’s evolution
Spending time in the Douro with Symington makes one thing clear: this is a region in transition, and they’re the ones steering the ship.
At Quinta do Vesuvio, I saw grapes still foot-trodden in granite lagares, a method unchanged for centuries and one that produces some of the most structured, long-lived Ports in the world. Meanwhile, at Quinta do Ataíde, where vines grow in meticulously managed rows, their research into indigenous grape varieties is laying the foundation for how the Douro will navigate the future. The contrast between tradition and innovation is striking, and it’s precisely this balancing act that makes the Douro so exciting right now.
The Douro’s next chapter
Port built the Douro. That much is undeniable. But thanks to Symington and a new generation of winemakers, its future is about more than what sits in the barrel. The region is evolving, embracing both its heritage and its potential, proving that it can stand alongside the world’s greatest wine regions – on its own terms.
Symington has spent 140 years shaping the Douro. If this latest chapter is anything to go by, they’re just getting started.
Tasting the Douro: The wines that prove its future
The Douro may have built its name on Port, but in the glass, the shift towards still wine is undeniable. Across Symington’s estates, the wines are bold, expressive and distinct, showcasing the full potential of the valley’s indigenous grapes. Here’s how they stack up.
Cockburn’s Special Reserve and Aged Tawnies
For a Port house with a history as storied as Cockburn’s, the question isn’t whether they make good Port – it’s just how much personality they pack into the bottle. Across the board, these wines show richness, structure and that classic Douro intensity, but each tells a different story.
The Special Reserve remains a game-changer, even decades after it redefined the category. Bold red fruit bursts from the glass – cherries, plums and a touch of wild strawberry – before that signature dry finish pulls everything together. A slight peppery grip keeps things lively, balancing the plush, ripe sweetness. It’s smooth enough to be dangerously drinkable, but with just enough bite to keep it from being one-dimensional.
The 10-Year-Old Tawny is all about balance – amber-hued with a nose of caramel, hazelnuts and dried apricots. The palate delivers a wave of honeyed walnuts and baking spice, underpinned by fine acidity that lifts the finish. This is a Port that lingers, stretching out into long, toasted almond warmth.
The 20-Year-Old Tawny, meanwhile, is Cockburn’s at its most refined. There’s a wonderful duality here – an almost ethereal lightness meets deep, layered complexity. Candied citrus, cedar and butterscotch meld into a silken, nutty finish. It’s the kind of Port that deserves a quiet evening and a proper glass, but don’t be surprised if it steals the show at the table.
Altano Wines: The Douro’s still revolution
For a region that’s long been defined by Port, the Douro’s foray into still wine isn’t just a side project – it’s a full-blown renaissance. The Altano range from Symington Family Estates is proof that the valley’s rugged terrain and indigenous grape varieties can produce serious wines beyond the fortified classics.
The Altano Rewilding Edition is a vibrant and approachable introduction to the Douro’s new identity. Touriga Franca lends floral aromatics, while Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) brings deep red fruit and Tinta Barroca adds structure. The result? A wine with bright berry flavours, a touch of Mediterranean herbaceousness and a supple balance between fruit, acidity and spice. It’s fresh, generous and dangerously drinkable.
Then there’s the Altano Organic Red 2021, a deeper, more structured expression of the Douro. Touriga Nacional takes centre stage, delivering dark cherry, cassis and a hint of violets, while Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca round things out with plush fruit and velvety tannins. There’s a flicker of dark chocolate on the finish, lending richness without overwhelming the wine’s natural vibrancy.
Quinta do Ataíde: The Douro’s wild side, bottled
If the Douro Valley is a land of extremes, then Quinta do Ataíde is where it all feels just a little more untamed. Nestled in the remote Vilariça Valley, this vineyard is an outlier – not just in geography, but in style. The loam and schist soils, the searing heat, the near-arid conditions: everything conspires to produce wines of remarkable depth and intensity.
The Quinta do Ataíde Douro is a wine that feels firmly rooted in its place. Touriga Nacional leads the way, giving it a floral lift – think roses and violets – but there’s a wilder, more resinous quality, like crushed pine needles after a long, hot day. Black plums and ripe red fruit dominate the palate, rounded out by supple tannins and a flicker of oak that never oversteps the mark. It’s structured, but not brooding; powerful, but poised.
Then there’s the Vinha do Arco 2016, a single-varietal Touriga Nacional that showcases why this grape is the Douro’s crown jewel. It’s darker, denser, more brooding than its sibling. Black cherries, licorice and bergamot thread through layers of deep, inky fruit, with an undercurrent of spice and mocha oak. The tannins are polished, the acidity just bright enough to carry its weight and the finish stretches out like a lingering sunset over the valley.
Quinta do Vesuvio: The Douro at its most dramatic
Quinta do Vesuvio is what happens when nature doesn’t hold back. Searing heat, dramatic altitude shifts and an arid climate conspire to push vines to their limits, but the result is some of the Douro’s most compelling wines – structured, refined and built to last.
Pombal do Vesuvio is Douro red with backbone. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela and Alicante Bouschet, it leans into the valley’s intensity. The nose is a medley of wild herbs, crushed rock rose, fig and fennel, underpinned by ripe black fruit and a balsamic edge – Douro schist and sun bottled.
The palate is dark, plush and poised, with a mineral streak cutting through the richness like a steel blade. Tannins are gripping yet polished, giving structure without austerity. Nine months in French oak leaves a smoky whisper rather than a statement. The finish lingers – taut, savoury, flickering with dry pine needles and warm spice. Pair it with grilled meats, game or a slow-cooked lamb shoulder. Drinking well now, but built to evolve through 2029.
If Pombal is power, Quinta do Vesuvio is balance. With 58% Touriga Franca and 40% Touriga Nacional, it brings elegance to the Douro’s intensity. The nose lifts with roses, thyme and pine resin, while the palate unfolds in layers of blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate. Fifteen months in French oak adds structure without overshadowing the fruit.
A serious, age-worthy Douro red, built for duck, venison or aged ribeye, and destined to develop over the next decade.
For more information, visit www.symington.com
