Started this morning at Almeida Garrett in the Beira Interior of Portugal – it’s the second time I have visited this region, which makes reds with lovely definition, and at good prices, too (above).

Then it was off to Spain, and the Arribes region, which is on the banks of the Douro/Duero as it enters Spain (for a while, the river is the border between the two countries). We visited an over-performing co-op here: whites from Malvasia; reds chiefly from Rufete and Juan Garcia.

Then, after what was a light lunch, but turned out to be as heavy as I’ve had, we drove to Toro, where we stayed overnight at the Castillo de Monte la Reina, an impressive new venture making some well defined Toros (the vineyards, above, have distinctive pebbly soils). I’m just about to nip out and get some vineyard pictures while the light is good.