Real Companhia Velha

Real Companhia Velha is the oldest wine company in Portugal, founded by royal charter in 1756. It produces a wide range of Ports, from Ruby through to Vintage and aged Tawny, as well as a range of Douro table wines. Real Companhia Velha is known in some markets as the Royal Oporto Wine Company and also as the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhos do Alto Douro.

The company's history has been complex since its foundation as a monopoly controlled by the Marqués de Pombal, then Prime Minister of Portugal. It was briefly dissolved, but restarted as public company in 1865, eventually becoming Portugal's largest wine shipper for a period in the 20th century. After the revolution in 1974, Real Companhia Velha was nationalised by the new government and stock sold off to other shippers. It was returned to former owner Manuel da Silva Reis in 1978, and is now run by his son Pedro while operating as a subsidiary of Dão Sul.

The company makes several brands of Port, including Royal Oporto and Real Companhia Velha. Until 1997, the two were parallel labels for the same blends – often both featured as either the brand name or the company name. Today, however, they are made as two separate brands. There are also several other ranges of Ports and table wines made under the names of the various individual estates within the company.

Real Companhia Velha owns some 735 hectares (1800 acres) of vineyards, including some of the best properties in the Douro. These include Quinta das Carvalhas in Pinhão, which dates back to 1759, and boasts vines that are more than 100 years old. The site makes both Port and a range of table wines under the Carvalhas brand. Quinta do Casal da Granja is a 160-hectare (400-acre) vineyard at a reasonably high altitude, and is well-suited to white wine production – the most planted variety is Moscatel Galego. The Grandjo range of wines are made from fruit grown here. Quinta de Cidrô in São João da Pesqueira has been developed in to something of an experimental vineyard, planted to an eclectic range of varieties including Rufete, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer.