Vila Nova de Gaia

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 11:06 Mon 10 Sep 2007

Or as the locals call it, 'Guy-ya'.

I'd never been before, but how charming is this riverfront! For a Port enthusiast, it's delightful. Its a tad touristy, but it surely has a responsibility to be so. The size and layouts of the storage facilities are larger than I'd guessed, and the way it is intertwined with real life. People with their washing hanging out, of extremely limited accomodation, nestled alongside all the great names. Debs and I sat on quite a few Riverfront Cafe's, drinking in the views, commenting on how it wouldn't take too much airbrushing to whisk you back a century or two (maybe more!).

Still can't get my head around why Port is sooo expensive here. Maybe it has something to do with the Porches and Mercedes of all the suited Port Officials. It certainly doesn't fit in with the rest of life over here. I'm beginning to see how hard-nosed UK Buyers/Supermarkets, are probably laughing at the Port Producers, and then gently reminding them to go away and think of a more competitive price. The next time I see one of those articles from a Shipper crying poverty, you wont even get a crocodile tear out of me. I'd hazard a guess that the vinyard workers don't make much money, but don't worry about the owners.

Fallen in love with Gaia though. More to follow, if I get time. I can hear the Hotel Poolside Lounger calling!

Alan

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 14:16 Mon 10 Sep 2007

Forget '' guy-ya '', what Portonians want to know is : What is the Poolside lounger saying .

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 22:12 Mon 10 Sep 2007

I believe it is a fairly widespread phenomenon that where a wine is made, the worst place to buy it is the shop down the road from the vineyard..

Seems that wine making regions hate to acknowledge that other wines are better..

There are a few ways round though.

If you don't care if your wine is in a fancy bottle or not, you can find a Spanish winemaker who will fill a five gallon plastic drum for you at an absurdly low price (by British standards) - or a French peasant farmer who will let you have a few bottles of his 'home brew' - properly corked, but no capsules, and with hand written lables - at a very reasonable price - and often very good.

In Portugal, you can ask a respectable restaurant simply for a 'porto' - you are then left guessing what the wine is, but it seems they don't want to lower their reputation by serving rubbish, as my experience of this ploy has been universally good, and very good value.

Tom

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 22:22 Mon 10 Sep 2007

For laughs, step into that port shop in one of those new buildings on the riverside. The prices there are insane. When we were there, it was in the middle of summer and it was quite hot inside. When LadyR asked if they had more bottles of a certain port in their cellar, they answered: "Cellar...?"

Have a very good time there, I wish I could be there too!

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 11:10 Fri 14 Sep 2007

Hi,

I'm back. Had a great time. Mostly a beach/pool holiday with a pleasant splash of Gaia and Port.
Didn't buy much Port because of the prices, but tried quite a few, and brought home a pleasant looking bottle of Dow's 85. You have to bring somethimg back!!! Also brought a selection of cheap whites. Extra Dry Royal Oporto, Noval Dry, etc. They'll be interesting to compare, and none over £10. Bring on the ice.
I also brought back some glasses...and they Survived! (Good old Debs wrapping them in towels and stuffing them with socks!)
There are now two distinct types. Cheap and cheerful, and the IVDP glass, thats the one with the indent in the stem. The cheap ones are £1 each, but the IVDP ones were £3 each. Again, tourist prices, but I smiled and paid up and I'm now the owner of a box of 3 Ramos Pinto IVDP glasses. There's a mouthful. Now I need a bottle of Ramos Pinto to fill them with!

If I get the time, I'll throw some photo's in and a few more tales,

Alan

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 13:20 Fri 14 Sep 2007

Glad you made it back safely and had a good time. I'd love to see the pics when you get a chance to download them.

Good old Debs wrapping them in towels and stuffing them with socks!)

I guess that gives new meaning to bottle stink

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 13:51 Fri 14 Sep 2007

Alan , welcome back to the fold !!
Your humour was missed by everyone .

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 19:18 Fri 14 Sep 2007

This is the view from the Gaia side of the Douro. I found it charming.

As most of you will know, once you start touring the Storage Facilities of each riverside Shipper, the roads can become ruthless. This is halfway up the road to Cockburn, Martinez, Burmeista and Symingtons. It was in the 'Bake' of the afternoon. Debs and I had trouble walking it, to think the likes of Andy,Moses and Todd might of enjoyed cycling up it, is ridiculous!

...

This was a scruffy looking building, but was guarded by two men. Odd! Anyone any clues. Seems to suggest its an Official Wine Laboratory. Do you know if there's more to it than that?

This is Debs, putting up with me drinking Port. Bless.

Just a flavour.

Alan

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 22:39 Fri 14 Sep 2007

Looks like you had a good time Alan.

Thanks for posting the pictures, they make me want to go back there immediately!

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 03:13 Sat 15 Sep 2007

Cool pics, thanks.

If that door which was guarded was green, than it was probably Niepoort. just a guess though

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 05:12 Sat 15 Sep 2007

TrÃƒÂ¨s interessant . Almost breathtaking . . .
Although you could have used more red eye removal on Debra's pic.

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 09:24 Sat 15 Sep 2007

ADV wrote:Cool pics, thanks.

If that door which was guarded was green, than it was probably Niepoort. just a guess though

Andy,

You were spot on with the Green Door.

I couldn't se a Niepoort sign anywhere, but thanks. I wonder why they haven't followed the others, and smartened things up, and thrown a visitor room in? Completely up to them of course.

And Luc,

I was pleased I could order food and get around. Humour was well beyond me! Apart from the locals probably smiling at me.
I ordered a taxi one day outside General Torres Railway Station. I asked the Driver if he could take me to the Riverside. (Incidently, it was actually only a very short walk, but I didn't realise). Because I had spoke a little Portuguese, but was clearly 'Foreign', the Taxi Driver asked 'Inglais?'. I answered that I was English, and did he speak English (In Portuguese). He replied 'Ce,Ce'. This of course being Italian for Yes,Yes.
6 or 7 other Taxi Drivers fell about laughing, that our driver had suggested he knew a little English by talking Italian in Portugal!
Our Driver joined in the laughing, going a little red, and we drove off to a loud Chorus of 'Ce,Ce!' from his colleagues. (I then had to explain it all to Debs, who went from being a little intimidated, to big flashing smile. It's a funny world of crossed lines and pre-conceptions, we live in!)
That was about as close to humour as I got.

Alan

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 12:56 Sat 15 Sep 2007

If thats the green door, then that is definitely not Niepoort. Niepoort's is a rather large door where a small truck could drive through it. A there is no exterior "Niepoort" sign anywhere to be found, you just kinda need to know that is the building you're looking for. Kinda funny when all the other houses have huge signs on their buildings.

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 02:42 Sun 16 Sep 2007

Alan , as long you got from point A to point B in one piece with a smile . . .

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 20:26 Mon 17 Sep 2007

Whilst I sat in the Riverside Quinta Do Noval 'Shop', I was sipping the four small glasses of Port, handed out for free, from a pleasant member of staff. I decided to truthfully explain why I wasn't going to purchase any serious Port from her Price List. (I did buy some cheap bottles)
I told her that everything was at least a third cheaper in the UK. I offered to show her WineSearcher.Com on my phone. To my surprise the assistant said she knew that to be the case, and didn't doubt me. She then said the general reason was the power of UK Buyers buying in bulk and therefore reducing prices.
I wanted to further the conversation by asking why they didn't match such prices at the Source of Port. Like 'Factory Prices'. Sadly that was really a question for a Producer, so we just finished there and enjoyed the mini-tasting.
It was interesting to know that staff are aware of the price discrepancies, though. I suppose they can do without the few hundred pounds I would have spent on a few nice bottles, so that I could say I bought them at Source, and concentrate on mugging the visitor who hasn't got a clue.

Alan

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 21:21 Mon 17 Sep 2007

I'm always surprised by the high prices at the lodges as well. It almost seems like they are not interested in gaining the sympathy of the visitors. BTW, when we were in Italy this summer, we noticed that prices wat the winery were also almost always higher than in shops nearby.

Post by **DRT** » 21:29 Mon 17 Sep 2007

Interestingly, I found Noval to be the most reasonable of all the shippers outlets in VNG. The stellar vintages were very highly priced but many of the low-end Nacional (is that an oxymoron?) was significantly below UK retail price.

Derek

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 01:54 Tue 18 Sep 2007

I think most people have no idea what prices are in their home areas. Us Port geeks got prices memorized better than...well, I'll stop there before I get in trouble

The average tourist has no idea and probably won't remember what they drank. So they have to buy right then and there, and the port companies make a nice profit.

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 13:28 Tue 18 Sep 2007

Hey !! who you calling a Port geek . . .
I prefer Portonian .

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 13:46 Tue 18 Sep 2007

Luc,

I think Andy was refering to us Earthlings! Is Portonian the correct terminology for your Planet?

Alan

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 14:46 Tue 18 Sep 2007

Luc wrote:Hey !! who you calling a Port geek . . .
I prefer Portonian .

Sorry Mr. Portonian, I promise it won't happen again

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 15:22 Tue 18 Sep 2007

Are we not all Portonians , to a certain degree . . .