“Oh my God, this company is older than my country” – The US ambassador on a visit to Real Companhia Velha in the 1970s.

Real Companhia Velha is the oldest wine company in Portugal, having recently celebrated 265 years of constant trading since 1756.

In the mid-18th century, there was a crisis with the port market due to a reduction of exports, extreme low prices & the situation being worsened by the fact the trade was dominated & controlled by British merchants.

With the support of a number of personalities including the King D. Jos I, the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, aka the Marquis of Pombal, a decision was made to create a chartered company. Its aim was to break the monopoly of the English Trading Post, to balance supply & demand, to ensure the quality & authenticity of the product & to protect it from disloyal competition by wines from other parts of the kingdom. All of this with royal approval & it soon became one of the Portuguese states greatest sources of income. This was the origin of Real Companhia Velha.

Since 1960, Real Companhia Velha has been run by the Silva Reis family, who have dedicated their efforts to the production of both port & Douro wines, focusing on the study & development of the Douro terroir & sustainability.

The 3rd generation of the family has Pedro Silva Reis Junior as the resident winemaker, Pedro Silva Reis, his father, as the Master Blender (for over 40 years) & Tiago Silva Reis developing the market to show a company that combines innovation with tradition in the 5 Quintas they own, which are considered some of the best in the Douro Valley.

Series Range

The concept behind SRIES is limited release monovarietal wines with grapes selected from class A Douro field blends. With the main goal to be to highlight the quality and characteristics of lesser known Douro varietals

The Series represent the passion for innovation and experimentation in the search for new wines and diverse styles of vinification. This effort reflects the backstage work developed by RCV winemaking and viticulture team, beginning in 2001, with the recovery and replantation of more than 30 indigenous grape varieties (some close to extinction). In the last 20 years, examples of these grape varietals were planted at our Quintas, in single blocks with no less than 1ha, allowing enough quantity for individual vinification with the purpose of bottling as experimental singles varietal wines.

Vinification

Rufete is a very old grape variety, which has been found in the old vine field blends of the Douro, but has never revealed itself amongst the most celebrated grapes of the region. We can say we have found a new Douro deep inside the old Douro.

Grapes are hand-picked and brought to the winery in 20 kg boxes. After passing a selective hand-sorting stage, fermentation occurs in a stainless steel tank at 24C, in which 50% of the grapes are de-stemmed and crushed, and 50% ferment in whole clusters, with very soft pump overs. 100% of the wine ages in used french oak barriques for a period of 12 months.

Tasting Notes

A red grape that offers an elegant wine, with soft tannins, yet expresses an exciting wild and rustic character, offering great option for a lighter Douro DOC wine.

Shows a beautiful light red of bright colour, typical for this grape variety. It shows intense aromas of ripe wild berries, strawberries, light white pepper and delicate herbaceous notes. Medium bodied, round and very elegant. Soft tannins, yet packed with fine flavours, offering a long and lingering finish.

Pairs wonderfully with tartar or carpaccio, grilled octopus, lamb or traditional Portuguese grilled sardines. As well as a fresh tomato, red onion & gherkins salad.