British buyers have developed a thirst for Porto, the city on the Douro River whose fortunes were built on the centuries-old trade in fortified wine AlamyStand in front of Porto’s imposing 12th-century cathedral and you get a history lesson as well as a view. The vista spans the oldest part of the city to the south, over the Douro River, to the patchwork of historic port warehouses and production facilities on the opposite bank. Names such as Taylor’s and Graham’s, visible in the distance, underline the centuries-old trade in fortified wine between England and Portugal. It all started when 17th-century importers, tired of wine cargos going bad on the voyage to England, added brandy to stop the fermentation process. The new, fortified wine that took its name from the city where the traders had their base soon became a favourite.

Source: The Times October 26, 2017 23:02 UTC