What I can describe is the landscape, which is the Alto Douro, one of the most worked and most beautiful wine regions in the world. The hillsides here are carved into narrow stone-walled terraces, the socalcos, built by hand over centuries, and covered with vines that turn from green to gold and red in October.
The Douro region was the first in the world to be officially demarcated, in 1756, under the Marquis of Pombal, partly to protect the quality of port wine against fraud. The grapes, including Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, grow in thin, rocky schist soil, in a climate with scorching summers and cold winters, and the vines struggle in a way that produces small, concentrated berries. Some of the old vines, planted among the mixed vineyards of the past, are more than a century old. In September and October the harvest, the vindima, fills the valley with workers, tractors and the smell of crushed fruit. UNESCO listed the region in 2001.
The Côa valley, close by, adds the rock art and the wilder landscape, and the two together give the district an unusual depth. Almond and olive trees grow among the vines, and in February the almond blossom turns the hillsides white. Birds of prey ride the thermals, and the nights are full of stars.
Riding here is among the pleasures of northern Portugal. The roads switchback through the hills, with views of the terraces and the river, and the surface is usually good, though patched. Heat in July and August is severe, and temperatures above forty degrees are common, so go in the morning. The harvest brings slow vehicles, and wine trucks sometimes take up the road. Take care on the hairpins and in the shade, where the surface may be damp.
Fuel is available in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, about twelve kilometres away, with stations, shops and cafes, and Mêda is a smaller town. Fill up, and pack water.
Autumn is the best season for the colours and the harvest, but spring is cooler and greener. A glass of local wine at the end of the day is traditional.