Iberian Peninsula day 13 - 19/07/19

When you’re as old as me, the seventies still doesn’t seem that long ago. Of the few remaining die-hards who are still reading this blog, I would think the same account will apply to all but one! So when I mention Mateus, you will automatically think about rosé wine, that iconic bottle, and the fact that the bulbous bottle went on to make a great candle-holder afterwards, especially in university digs around the UK? At it’s nadir, 40% of all Portuguese wine exports were Mateus. 

Our first call today is said estate, north of the Douro by about 20 km. The estate doesn’t actually associate directly with wine, it’s a producer in a syndicate and the Mateus product is not directly connected other than to share its name. However it’s too tempting and we just have to go. Happily the house is wonderful and the history fascinating. This matriarchal family and it’s estate has been around since the C16 and the house since early C18 and the rooms and surrounding gardens are splendid. Noteworthy is the Roman centurion enbalmed in the chapel, entire except his replacement wax head, the lithographs created by Vasco do Gama and the C15 painted plate. 

Next we’re back to the river and we call into nearby Peso do Régua just to check where our boat leaves from tomorrow, then it’s south to Lamego. This town of many hills has a fort that we climb, then drop back down to the centre before hitting the steps up to the Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies. On Jane MacDonald’s recent program she pretended to have climbed these all herself, although in reality she probably sat in a sedan chair whist two nubile young men transported her - we actually do the climb of 614 steps in the ferocious heat. 

Finally we’re heading back to our hotel for a dip and, of course, a bottle of Mateus Rosé before dinner. 

Dinner in the hotel is once again a triumph. Tonight we have a set menu which includes wine with each of the four courses and is excellent in both quality and value for money.