After another massive breakfast and checking out of our accommodation, the three of us headed off to Pinhão. Mick and I had visited this picturesque village a few days ago as part of our full day tour but really only saw the wharf area where we caught the boat.

This time we drove into the town, near the train station, which was a hive of activity. Lots of people waiting to board the train and even more disembarking the train. Some with backpacks and walking sticks, as this area has some interesting walking trails.

I was lucky to find a park near the station so we hopped out and had a coffee in a small plaza, while enjoying the three Portuguese tarts our AirBNB host had given us as part of our breakfast.

Walking down this skinny main street with cars going in both directions, seemingly impossible really, but people just wait their turn.

It is obvious that this town is kept alive by the tourist trade, with train loads and bus loads of people visiting for a few hours at a time.

We had spotted a sign for wine tastings near the bridge we had crossed to get into the town, so we thought we would see if it was possible to have a tasting. I had read that usually you have to make a booking.

We arrived at the Quinta das Carvalhas and were lucky to find a park. (You’ll notice I mention that a lot – but parking can be extremely difficult in Europe in small towns with streets made for donkeys.)

We were even luckier to find out that yes we could do a tasting. We learnt that Quinta das Carvalhas is one of the largest and most iconic estates in the Douro Valley, offering sweeping views from its hilltop vineyards above Pinhão.

Mick chose a tasting of 5 red wines and Suzanne chose 4 white wines and a white port.

These were the red wines Mick tried, and even though there are some different names on the bottles, all the vineyards are part of Quinta das Carvalhas .

The most interestingly “sounding” wine was the last wine called Vinhas Velhas – meaning old vines, made from grapes grown on vines aged well over 100 years. This 2021 wine was a ‘field blend’, which I’ve mentioned before is common in Portugal, but this one was made from 48 different varieties of red grapes and they have no idea in what proportion.

This place was fancy: fancy glasses, fancy surrounds and fancy prices. There were several small bus groups here, each with a tour guide, and some people buying wine to send back to America as they were leaving.

But not us.

We paid for the tastings, and although they were more than twice the price of the tasting at Mateus Palace, both Mick and Suzanne much preferred the wines at Mateus. Neither was fussed on any of the wines they had tasted here today.

We then headed to the Pinhão waterfront for lunch. And again, we were lucky to find a table.

I drove us back to Régua and farewelled Suzanne at her hotel, before we headed to Quinta de Marrocos where we will spend two night.

Boats, big and small, were going in both directions. This Quinta is very close to the lock where the boats must pass through. On the other side of the lock, in the direction towards Pinhão, the river is much deeper and wider.

Around 7pm Mick and I headed up some steps to the dining room area where we met César, whose full name is César Augusto Correia de Sequeira. Quite impressive!

When we arrived in the dining room we were surprised by its size. But tonight there would be only two couples, us and Nancy and Michael from North Carolina. César joined us later and sat on a small table of his own. I assumed he must be a windower.

Dinner started with olives and olive oil from the estate with some bread, and we were served some more of the white wine we’d enjoyed in the early afternoon, but this time it was much nicer as it was colder and it went better with the food.

The cheese was served with a vintage port from 2000.

There was a main course as well, which was served with a (slightly chilled) red wine – Mick chose cod and I had pork…again. But there was no way we could finish all of this. My favourite was the soup.

Nancy and Michael were younger than us and had lots of stories to tell. We chatted as we ate and were surprised it was almost 9.30pm when André, the young man who will take us on the tour tomorrow, started offering a glass of wine to take with us. In other words, he was encouraging us to leave so they could clean up and get to bed. Fair enough. We got the message and Mick took the glass of wine.

And thankfully both he and the glass made it safely, down the rocky path, to our room.