Port Wine

Dona Antónia

Reserve Blanc, 75cl

Douro

Dona Antónia

In homage to Ferreirinha, the Dona Antónia range is now renewed and reinforced with a White Reserve to accompany the existing Tawny Reserve.

In the Douro, it has always been traditional to plant white grapes. If, at the time, the goal was to have wines with little personality that could eventually be blended with red wines to give them lightness and a more open color, today the objectives are quite different. Acidity and structure that confer good aging capacity to wines, worthy of a reserve category, are the characteristics sought by the winemaking team led by Luís Sottomayor in the Upper Douro for the production of the new Dona Antónia White Reserve.

Ferreirinha herself was a pioneer towards the Upper Douro, and records from 1852 indicate that already in the mid-19th century, Dona Antónia produced white wines that serve as a legacy to this launch of Porto Ferreira. Porto Ferreira Dona Antónia White Reserve is vinified according to the traditional method of Port Wine.

The harvest took place with the grapes already slightly overripe. After gentle crushing with destemming, maceration followed during the period of alcoholic fermentation, aiming to obtain the greatest possible extraction of constituents from the grape skins. Pump-overs were therefore established in intensive programs that allow for a complete diffusion of quality compounds, always ensuring the integrity of the skins. During this phase, rigorous control of fermentation temperatures and densities was carried out to choose the ideal moment for the addition of the grape spirit needed to stop fermentation, which depends on the grape varieties, maturation, and desired sweetness (average, in the case of our range of White Ports).

After the harvest, the wine remained in the Douro, undergoing the first racking during the winter in which the necessary final adjustments were made. It was transported to Vila Nova de Gaia during the following spring, entering the traditional aging scheme of Porto wine, in 640-liter oak casks, in the Ferreira style.

During this period, the wines undergo numerous rackings, analyses, and tastings, allowing to monitor their aging and act with blends. The final blend is obtained from the selection of lots that allow it to achieve the characteristics of Porto Ferreira Dona Antónia White Reserve. For this, wines aged between 4 and 9 years are chosen so that the same type is always obtained with an average age of 7 years. After the blend is made, it undergoes finishing operations preceding bottling.

Allergens information

Contains sulphites.

Sogrape Vinhos

Sogrape Vinhos was born of the will and courage of a group of friends. In the difficult economic and political environment of 1942, they decided to stake everything on the visionary talents of one man. This man had the vision to create and develop an innovative wine company with a difference, one which could make and promote Portuguese wines on a global scale.

This vision belonged to Fernando van Zeller Guedes, whose character and forceful personality paved the way for a successful venture that many believed was doomed to fail from the outset. The unparalleled foresight and vision of Sogrape’s founder, resulted in the creation of the first global Portuguese wine brand – Mateus Rosé. Sold in over 120 countries, this proved to be such a resounding commercial success that it provided the decisive momentum for the growth as well as affirming the leadership of which the Company is so proud. The willingness to innovate and the ambition to do things differently – along with respect for tradition and the values of ethics and responsibility – marked the birth of an organization that has proved capable of preserving its founder’s vision and adapting to inevitably changing times. Today, led by the third generation of the founding family, Sogrape Vinhos is ever more closely dedicated to meeting the founding objective: to bring the world quality Portuguese wine brands, with sufficient volume to satisfy the needs of different market segments.

From the pioneering days of buying barrels of wine from small producers in the Douro for processing and bottling in a rented cellar in Vila Real, Sogrape Vinhos has steadily grown. Continuous investment has expanded and developed the company’s assets and workforce to such a degree that Sogrape Vinhos owns over 830 hectares of vineyards in all the key Portuguese wine regions. Nowadays, the full scope of Sogrape Vinhos is clearly demonstrated by the breadth and weight of its portfolio. At first glance, what immediately stands out is the presence of two major global Portuguese wine brands – Mateus Rosé and Sandeman as well as the prestigious wines of Porto Ferreira and Offley. Added to which are the renowned specialist brands that represent the major Portugese wine regions. Beginning with the most famous Portuguese wine of all, Barca Velha, the pride of Casa Ferreirinha (Douro) and continuing with the elegant wines of Quinta dos Carvalhais (Dão), the vibrant Herdade do Peso (Alentejo), the fresh Vinhos Verdes of Quinta de Azevedo and Gazela, and the multi-regional Grão Vasco, to name but a few.

To tell the story of Sogrape Vinhos it is essential to retrace the origins and evolution of the plan conceived by this visionary man. And then to appreciate how his successors have inherited his values and pursued them with dedication, vigour and expertise to grow and develop Portugal’s leading wine company. Above all, the achievements of such a large team are promoted with pride and sustained by the ambition to innovate and enhance all that Sogrape Vinhos has to offer.

Address

Sogrape Vinhos S.A.

Aldeia Nova
4430 – 809 Avintes
Vila Nova de Gaia