The most important culture in the Douro region after the vine was, and still is, the olive tree, a species well adapted to the climate of the region. Olive groves could be planted along continuous terraces, like the vines, or on individual ledges. Each tree is surrounded by a small circular protective wall. As the olive tree’s cycle is quite different from the one of the vine, the plantation of both species can be distributed throughout the year (FAUVRELLE, 2003: 214-215).