A deep & dark coloured LBV with notes of red fruit & raisins complexed with berries & spice. A very unique layer of smoky leathery made us particularly like this Port. Very fine on the palate, with firm & round tannins showing a very solid structure, & finishing off elegantly with great fruit character.
LBV’s (on the contrary to Vintage Ports) are bottled between the fourth & sixth year of ageing. This longer ageing period ensures a smoother & rounder palate, making this wine enjoyable for immediate consume. The Royal Oporto LBV is an example of the classic Real Companhia Velha style. The Old Vines of Quinta das Carvalhas contribute with power & structure, while Quinta de Cidrô’s Touriga Nacional unveils the elegant side of this blend.
This Late Bottled Vintage Port can be enjoyed while young, yet it has potential to age in bottle. An ideal partner for Blue Cheese or milk/dark chocolate desserts & fatty cheeses (Blue) as well as with some game pates. Should be decanted before serving.
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. José I, the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastião José 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 state’s 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 Quinta’s they own, which are considered some of the best in the Douro Valley.
