1 bottle per lot
Details
The House of Ferreira
Ferreira--A.A. Ferreira, S.A., to give the firm its proper title--is one of Portugal's oldest wine houses. It was founded by José Ferreira who was born 271 years ago, in September 1726.
This very distinguished family, with Royal connections, (Francisco de Olazabal, currently President of the company and of the eighth generation, is a direct descendant of King John VI of Portugal.) has long been dominant in the port wine trade. Moreover the Ferreiras have bred a succession of great characters none more legendary than Dona Antonia Adelaide, born in the "comet" year, 1811, and who personally ran the company and its extensive properties over the course of her long life. The family were the biggest vineyard owners in the Douro and it was returning by river from one of their quintas in May 1861 in the company of another larger-than-life-character, Baron James Forrester, that their barco rebelo capsized in the turbulent gorge known as the Cachao de Valeira. They and their companions were swept overboard. Forrester disappeared and his body was never recovered. Dona Antonia is reputed to have been saved by her voluminous crinoline which swept her to the rocky bank. She survived to run the family firm for a further thirty-five years.
Ferreira have the largest share of the Portuguese market, followed closely and coincidentally by Offley Forrester, both firms now under the corporate "umbrella" of the distinguished Guedes family. The firm produces a full range of "wood" ports, white, tawny and the standard 10 and excellent 20 year old, the latter branded with the title of the Portugese Royal Family, Duque de Braganca (if I can be partial, it has long been my favourite old tawny) and of course traditional vintage ports. Unusually, indeed uniquely, for stocks of old vintages are virtually non-existent in Oporto, Ferreira have always maintained an extensive "library" in its Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia housing a priceless range of vintages dating back to the early 19th century, a selection of which are offered here for the first time at public auction.
--Michael Broadbent
Ferreira--Vintage 1815
acidity. MB
1 bottle per lot
Ferreira--A.A. Ferreira, S.A., to give the firm its proper title--is one of Portugal's oldest wine houses. It was founded by José Ferreira who was born 271 years ago, in September 1726.
This very distinguished family, with Royal connections, (Francisco de Olazabal, currently President of the company and of the eighth generation, is a direct descendant of King John VI of Portugal.) has long been dominant in the port wine trade. Moreover the Ferreiras have bred a succession of great characters none more legendary than Dona Antonia Adelaide, born in the "comet" year, 1811, and who personally ran the company and its extensive properties over the course of her long life. The family were the biggest vineyard owners in the Douro and it was returning by river from one of their quintas in May 1861 in the company of another larger-than-life-character, Baron James Forrester, that their barco rebelo capsized in the turbulent gorge known as the Cachao de Valeira. They and their companions were swept overboard. Forrester disappeared and his body was never recovered. Dona Antonia is reputed to have been saved by her voluminous crinoline which swept her to the rocky bank. She survived to run the family firm for a further thirty-five years.
Ferreira have the largest share of the Portuguese market, followed closely and coincidentally by Offley Forrester, both firms now under the corporate "umbrella" of the distinguished Guedes family. The firm produces a full range of "wood" ports, white, tawny and the standard 10 and excellent 20 year old, the latter branded with the title of the Portugese Royal Family, Duque de Braganca (if I can be partial, it has long been my favourite old tawny) and of course traditional vintage ports. Unusually, indeed uniquely, for stocks of old vintages are virtually non-existent in Oporto, Ferreira have always maintained an extensive "library" in its Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia housing a priceless range of vintages dating back to the early 19th century, a selection of which are offered here for the first time at public auction.
--Michael Broadbent
Ferreira--Vintage 1815
acidity. MB
1 bottle per lot