We’re referring to the new white wines from the region, because the region is most famously known for being a producer of Port wine – a fortified red wine.

The first non-fortified Douro wine was produced back in 1952 and was named Barca, but the heavy leaning on making high quality red table wines didn’t really exist till the last decade or so.

Now there’s a different story being told in the region, with a few producers starting to make white wine from the local grapes. One has to keep in mind that only eight percent of all grape plantings in the region are white, and even so the bulk of them is used to produce whitep ort.

Those who have tried to develop an elegant white point to the soil, the terroir, as the reason behind the creation of a unique taste; the forty degree Centigrade summer temperatures aren’t a bad thing either.

The mineral blend of elements also points towards creating a crisp white blend from the local grapes, which contrasts with the traditionally rich and tannic red wines that are the trademark of the region.

One of the white wine producers is the Dutch-born Dirk Niepoort who owns the noted Tiara. Jorge Moreira is also in the white wine field who says that there is a definite increase in the interest toward producing whites and admits freely that he is trying to produce a sparkling white. He owns the Poeira label and has planted up the white grape alvarinho on a one hectare area of his highest and shadiest slopes.

The British couple who leads Romaneria agree with the two saying that white wines are capable of expressing the terroir more than the red, and that one can taste stones in the wine, and thanks to the very hot climate the wines have never had to be acidified.

Even if the solar plant has been green-lit by the regional authorities, its construction is causing a lot of distress for the residents in the Fonde da Apra area of Loule. They’re concerned about the fact that their properties have plummeted in value because of the plant and have vowed to take their case to Brussels if the project is not stopped.

For a bit of background, several studies into the compatibility of the plant with various aspects of Loule’s projected development have shown it to be lacking. An evaluation carried out by the Algarve Committee for Regional Development and Coordination which showed that the project “encroaches on a Site of Community Importance”; an environmental impact study carried out by the Cascais-based project consultancy company Matos, Fonseca & Associates, found that the land the plant will be built on was found to be home to fauna of “conservational interest” even if the land is not covered by the “Special Protection Zone” status. The survey did conclude that the overall impact would be minimal and ‘insignificant’ and would also occur mainly during the construction phase, saying that the impact on the landscape would be of “little significance and reduced magnitude”.

That conclusion is vehemently contested by the frustrated locals who are not fond of the idea of a solar power plant being built next to their homes.

One British couple said that they acquired their property on a hillside directly overlooking the plant because they like the view, and now that view is being wiped out.

That appears to be the main concern of most the inhabitants, saying that while they understand the importance of renewable energy and that they have nothing against the solar plants, but they just don’t like the fact that the plants are being built in full view of the villas and in a residential area.

We’ll keep an eye on this story and see how it unfolds.