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WINE: Younger producers in the Douro Valley are shaking off port's fusty old-man image and making great table wines, too, writes John Wilson

TEN YEARS AGO the Douro Valley meant Port - for centuries one of the world's greatest wines had been made from grapes grown on terraces carved into the solid slate soil on the vertiginous slopes climbing up from the river Douro. This is one of the world's great wine regions, almost untouched by tourism, with a stunning raw beauty. In summer, it can be baking hot, often reaching 40 degrees or even more, perfect for producing very ripe grapes with thick skins.