The Douro Region experiences long summers and little rainfall making it hard for winemakers to manage their vineyards, nevertheless, a variety of top-quality wines originate from the Douro. It is one of the last major wine regions to still resort to foot pressing large quantities of grapes. Lots of wineries use this tradition as a tourist attraction, where visitors can come and experience the foot pressing themselves.  

The vineyards at the Douro are situated on steep slopes, which can sometime limit machine harvesting, increasing the prices of the wine. The pure schist retains the heat well and is filled with important nutrients.  

The Douro Region is home to some of the most well-known Portuguese grape varieties, such as: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz – red grapes. Some less well-known but very high-quality white varieties are Gouveio, Viosinho and Malvasia Fina.