If seven days is a long time in politics then it is an even longer time on the food and wine trail. Lee and I took the Monday evening easyjet flight to Portugal last week and arrived in Oporto, just in time to book into the Hotel de Bolsa and find our way down to the Ribeira for supper by 9.30pm. In the company of Ray Reynolds and Danny Cameron as well as four other dedicated wine vendors, we chatted happily while eating Octopus, Tripe, Squid, Bacalhaou and the like and quaffing Tiara, Vertente and Tawny Port. Time seemed to stand still, at least for us, but the realization that all the other tables had chairs ON them and all the furniture from outside was on the inside, made us realize that they were hinting, fairly heavily, that it was time to go. I looked at my watch and realized that it had been time to leave many copas ago and so we looked big, paid up and left. We headed back to the hotel immediately, declining the temptations of the bars on the quai for the more sensible option of bed and much needed sleep. Did we hell! Reymond guided us to the most happening of riverside cafes in the shadow of the magnificent, Eiffel designed bridge that joins Oporto to Vila Nova da Gaia where we sat, quaffed and talked for another hour or so, our bodies groaning while our deluded minds went back to a (much) earlier era and pretended to be student philosophers again, with all that involved.

On Tuesday morning we were up and off, sparkling and refreshed, in time to get a light breakfast in the Café Brazilia before taking the train up the valley to Regua. The two and a half hour journey on an old diesel train is a great introduction to Portugal in general and the Douro valley in particular. From Oporto, a very old city which has been dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st century by use of French, German and British Euros, we clanked out through suburbs draped with lines of drying knickers and vests to the faux countryside with chickens and allotments and finally the huge, dramatic vista of the Douro valley with its vine covered terraces, terrifying inclines and wide expanses of water.

We were met at Regua by a bus provided by the Niepoort organization which was to provide our transport for the rest of the trip. Someone (Ray?) insisted on a dustcutter which we had on the terrace of the station bar, on the fringe of frenetic tourist activity taking visitors to Douro boat trips, Port wine house visits and local people going about their normal daily grind. All this with the tremendous backdrop of the Douro vineyards on the other side of the valley and a chilled Sagres in the foreground. Bliss!

On the bus we wound our way up the valley to Quinta da Napoles, a recently built winery with all the bells and whistles, lagares and stainless steel that you would expect of a modern facility, built in one of the most ancient of wine regions. A guided tour was followed by lunch and wines of new vintages and old, whites, roses, reds and ports. Hard work, but someone has to do it. After lunch we were taken down to Quinta da Macedos to see the port being made and chat to Nick Delaforce about the pros and cons of the different types of Aguadente being added to the fermenting grape juice. Another short ride brought us to the Chanceleiros , a large old house that is now a small hotel high above Pinhao, with stunning views over the valley where we to spend the night.

Lunch!	View from the terrace

After a quick swim and a shower to freshen up, we dusted off the black tie and DJ and headed for more food and wine with other wine aficionados. The Lurton winemaker for the Douro was there, a South African Sommelier/Restrateur, the head of commerce for Niepoort and a bunch of shopkeeper / dope peddlers from England. The view from the terrace was stunning, the food robust and flavoursome, the wine flowing. All manner of discussions took place round the table with regard to unique wines versus brands, how the potatoes were cooked and the likely issues with world commerce over the next few years. The feeling later in the evening seemed more positive than earlier in the evening and birthday celebrations for one of our group helped raise the jollity stakes to new levels.

After a good nights sleep and a gentle start on Tuesday, we headed back down the valley to Gaia and the massive warehouses where the Port is matured. We discussed the difference between Ruby and Tawny ports and the difficulty educating the general public. Niepoorts have produced a brilliant story book to help explain the difference between Ruby Dum and Tawny Dee and more vittles were taken before our eventual departure back to blighty.

On Thursday Lee and I hit the ground running with preparations for a busy weekend restaurant, a wine tasting lunch on Saturday and a charity fund raising night on Sunday. There was so much to catch up on and get ready that I forgot to take the car for the service that it had been booked for on the Thursday but Toyota Sandhurst very kindly rescheduled it with a minimum of fuss for the following week.

Friday was an auspicious day as Paul (PT) returned from Spain having announced his retirement in June and promptly disappeared. Electronic comms. over the Summer reassured us that all was well on the Costa Brava but PT is not virtually the same as the real thing so a long lunch with Barry, Dave and, almost, Alistair confirmed that the Friday club is not yet dead and buried, although Barry may well have been, by Jenny, when he got home just in time to go out to the cottage with Pam and friends. Hat a social whirl ageing accountants lead. Mind you, he did have to have a week off afterwards to recover with only 12 bottles of Douro for supplies. Goodness knows what Jenny was going to drink!

The weekend wine tasting was mostly Spanish whites and reds with one stunning dessert wine from Malaga made in conjunction with Alois Kracher of Austria. However, the real eye opener was the 2009 Peique made with fifty year old Tinto Mencia vines from Bierzo. Bierzo is a relatively new wine region in Northern Spain and this wine is really fruity with spice and vanilla and an acidity that prevents the modern style, upfront fruit from being too 'in your face. Really fab!

On Sunday, Lee and the gang had a dinner for a hundred people to produce at an event we were hosting to finalise a fantastic fundraising venture, a bike ride that five of them did from Lands End to John O Groats. Mixed platters of starters were followed by Sausages made from pigs reared in West End with vegetables roasted in the wood oven. To round the evening off they all had Chocolate Dipping Plates. Music was provided by Jazz at the start of the evening and The (almost) Full Monty at the end, while a cheque for nearly £12,000 was handed over to Chase Hospice, a really worthwhile cause.

During the evening, Peter Gorton arrived at The Inn to see it in full flow. Peter is a Masterchef of Great Britain and has just sold his restaurant, The Horn Of Plenty in Tavistock and is now working as a chef consultant. He is working here at The Inn for a few days to help us improve the food offering, inject some new ideas and become a mentor for the kitchen over a longer period of time. 

Peter and Lee

Lee has been head chef for, mm, must be six years now and is always looking for inspiration and Peter has masses of experience and, after selling his restaurant, a bit of spare time, so it seems like a good pairing. They have been working on menus, methods, special dinner ideas and new ways of doing some of the same things, so watch this space!

This afternoon will be another direction again with a Pubwatch meeting with colleagues from other pubs. It is a good excuse to network and here what is happening in the area and new licensing activity by the authorities. Can't wait!

There are lots of other things going on in the background just so we don't get board but this is just a flavour to help you try and keep up. We look forward to seeing you soon to help flesh out the virtual news. Keep on supping, please do!

Gerry