One of Portugal’s finest wineries is located on the slow-moving Douro River. Here, the global economic crisis is just a distant rumor. The winery’s annual production of 450,000 bottles of port is sold out in just a few days.Dirk van der Niepoort has managed something very few Portuguese companies have done. His product has a world-wide cult following. To achieve this, he had to plead with the growers who supply him with grapes not to tear out their old vines just to cash in on the European Union subsidies. Wine lovers from all over the world now make pilgrimages to the northeastern tip of Portugal to try Niepoort’s creations. And other vintners in the region are following his example.