Justino´s Madeira Wines

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, December 27, 2012 / / 0 comments

 Justino´s was founded in 1870, in 1993 it was acquired by the French group "La Martiniquaise", that owns C. da Silva (Vinhos) SA and Gran Cruz Porto.
JUSTINO'S MADEIRA WINES, SA is one of the oldest producers of Madeira Wine and a very important exporter namely to countries like: Brazil, Japan, USA and Europe.


Justino´s Winery

                             GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION of the territory:

Madeira Island is the largest and most important with an approximate area of 735 km2 and a maximum length of 57 Km.
The Madeira Archipelago includes, Madeira, Porto Santo, and Wild Desert...maximum width: 23 Km.
It is Located in the Atlantic Ocean, 900 km southwest of Lisbon and 600 km west of the North African coast, the capital is the city of Funchal.

The climate:

Temperate climate (subtropical) with variations of temperature, humidity and rainfall according to altitude.
Temperature: 22 º C (August - the hottest month)
                    15 º C (February - the coldest month)

Recommended grape varietals:
White: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia Candida, Malvasia de São Jorge and Terrantez
Red: Tinta Negra
Authorized grape varietals:
White: Malvasia Fina, Listrão and Snail
Red: Complexa, Deliciosa and Triunfo
Most planted grape varietal: Tinta Negra

After the phylloxera (1872) it became the main grape varietal of Madeira island.

Justino´s Cellar

Madeira Wine is a fortified Wine with about 19% to 22% alcohol by volume.

Diferent types of Wines from Sweet to Dry, great persistency, intensity of color and a incredible richness of flavors and aromas. 

Four types according to each grape varietal:

^ Sercial - Dry
^ Verdelho - Medium Dry
^ Boal (Bual) - Medium Sweet
^ Malvasia (Malmsey) - Sweet

Most of the Madeira Wines aged during the first three months on heated stainless steel vats with a temperature that goes from 45º to 50º C.

After this stage the Wine is transferred to oak pipes for a long ageing process in order to achive a maximum oxidation and concentration.

Although it doesn´t evolve in the bottle like Vintage Port, it has a enormous longevity thanks to the oxidation during the ageing process, high alcohol content and high natural acidity.

C. da Silva´s Company today...

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, December 13, 2012 / / 0 comments

C. da Silva is currently run by the the french group La Martiniquaise (owns GRAN CRUZ also).
Its stocks of Port (C. da Silva Vinhos SA)  reach over two million litres stored at the Vinification Center in the Douro Valley and eight million litres in two cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Family Mansion... nowadays the headquarters of the Company

The stockage of eight million liters is being distributed by stainless steel vessels and glass coated cement vats durins the first two years and the last ageing stage... 3000 oak casks, with a measure that goes from 350 liters to 750 liters.

Although the Company does not owns any estate, the grapes are being thoroughly choosen since the very beginning.
Our Ports are internationally recognized for the high quality, specially when it comes to Colheita and White Ports.
Traditional grape growers to whom our Company has been buying the grapes during the last twenty five years have been a important bench mark.

Like all the Port Wine Companies, export represents the biggest slice of the annual income, around 90% of our sales goes to USA and Europe.

Our traditional cellar

Today the desire to continue Mr. Clemente da Silva´s making tradition is a serious commitment.
Thanks to C. da SIlva´s “boutique”, the export, distributors and retailers in the domestic market , DALVA is the first name on the list for Premium Port and Douro Wine categories.

Kiko Ribeiro da Silva

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, December 06, 2012 / / 0 comments

Clemente Ribeiro da Silva (Mr. C. da Silva´s son) was born in 1943, a very creative person, he revealed since his youth a innate ability to draw, aware of this ability, Clemente Ribeiro da Silva, known for his nickname “Kiko”… began to design his favourite racing cars.

In the late sixties, a dream became true, Kiko started racing.

But it was in 1971 that Kiko started to become well known to the big audience, being 4th in the national championship, driving a Datsun 1200, and sponsored by DALVA.

Because of this amazing initiation, Kiko raced for TEAM DALVA, with many other racing cars, like…Toyota Corolla 1200 S KE20; Opel Commodore GS/E; Mini cooper; Porsche Carrera RSR and Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV.

On 1977 at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, Kiko ran in a unlucky race, in Estoril.

Mechanical problems forced him to park the car near to the finish line, he has waited next to the rail till all competitors crossed the finish line.

Mechanical problems forced him to park the car near to the finish line, he has waited next to the rail till all competitors crossed the finish line.

Kiko Ribeiro da Silva

The winner of this 500km race in Estoril was the Italian Humberto Grano driving a BMW 3.0 CSL, that because of a breakdown in the alternator was racing without lights, Humberto didn´t see the finish line flag and was still in race mode, due to this, Kiko crossed the race track and the worst happened.

A unusual accident in the national motoring.

A visionary, a friend… a great pilot.

PORTO CRUZ SPACE...The Restaurant

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, November 27, 2012 / / 0 comments

An irreverent gastronomic proposal, which unites the Porto Cruz and DALVA Wines to the culture of Portuguese food.

There are appetizers / main courses and desserts, that should be paired with the DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva, as well as the table Wines, the fabulous Colheitas, LBV´s and Vintages Porto Cruz and DALVA.

After a meal with privileged view to the Douro river, you´re invited to met the Lounge Bar at the last floor of the Gran Cruz Space to enjoy a cocktail with Pink Port or just sipping a Port wine.

You can see the menu here.


Reservations:
Phone: (00351) 910553559
decastrogaia@myportocruz.com

This is a space for tasting and pairing Portuguese wines with appetizers under the guidance of the leading cooking Chef Miguel Castro Silva.

The cuisine here embraces the concept of innovation and modernity of the Porto Cruz Space project, challenging visitors to new experiences that test the palate in a informal, yet refined atmosphere.

Sharing meals with family or friends it is something "not to miss" once that it allows a wider and richer experience.

PORTO CRUZ space

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, November 15, 2012 / / 0 comments

The brand Porto Cruz, a leading global Port Company, began a new phase in its history thanks to the Espaço Porto Cruz. This project is different, innovative and was created to celebrate the culture of Port wine in Ribeira de Gaia.

Porto Cruz, owned by La Martiniquaise since 1975, has bought C. da Silva (Vinhos) SA (DALVA brand) in 2007.
Nowadays, both brands are changing the traditional image, or atmosphere offered to tourists, in terms innovation and modern design, with a special concern of keeping the tradition.


C. da Silva Port & Wine Shop

The Porto Cruz space, is a unique project that allows you to visit all the building for free choosing your own itinerary.

Porto Cruz Multimedia Centre by night

The Porto Cruz space offers:

FLOOR 0:

* Interactive / multimedia table - where you may choose your Port, place it at the multimedia table, and learn the characteristics of it and a "not to miss" ask for the Porto Cruz disc and discover your Port.
* Cruz boutique - Offers you all the Cruz Port Wine range; teas; postcards; a library...

FLOOR 1:

* Douro room - Permanent exhibition area where you can see three short films that reflect fundamental aspects of the region where Port Wine is produced and its founding figures.

* Show room - Temporary exhibition space whose programming is based on concepts that emphasize the culture of Wine, fashion, art and gastronomy.


FLOOR 2:

* Auditorium -  Watch the Porto Cruz short film and other activities such as lectures and meetings that fall within the cultural programme of the Porto Cruz Space.

* Tasting room - Experience Port Wine in a unique atmosphere and as Wine expert.

FLOOR 3:

* De Castro´s Restaurant -  Relaxed atmosphere with a privilege view to the Douro river.
Suggestion: Pairing Port and Douro Wine with delicious starters and main courses, feel free to ask for guidance.

Reservations:
Phone: (00351) 910553559
decastrogaia@myportocruz.com

FLOOR 4:

* Terrace lounge - Enjoy a 360º view of the riverfront  of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, the Douro river in between and a glass of Cruz Spicy Pink (one of many cocktails on the menu).

http://www.myportocruz.com/

We are waiting for your visit !

Golden White 1971

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, November 06, 2012 / / 0 comments

The Golden White 1971 was really a great surprise, when we first started promoting the release of a Golden White from the seventies there were lots of people, Port lovers, that tried to guess when it has been harvested.

The Golden White 1971... for those that for a long time, were looking for an amazing Port releated for example with the birth year or some special happening, well, here it is and despite being a difficult year to find, it is a White Colheita Port.


It presents us with a slightly lighter color among the Golden White trilogy, delicated aroma of macerated figs, varnish, nutmeg and lacker.

On the mouth it is really delicious and subtle with a very long delayed aftertaste, where again the matured figs appear upfront with the nutmeg and watery molasses at the end.

With the official Port Wine glass on the hand the same Golden characteristic... the blessed sticky aroma that lasts forever.

DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / / 0 comments

After a interruption of some months and following the enormous sucess of the DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva, it is bottled another lot, being now available at our C. da Silva Port & Wine Shop.

DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva, it is a White Port, although it gets confused with an old Aged Tawny or a very old White Port with over thirty years old, such is the impact of seeing the color for the first time.

DALVA LOTE Miguel Cstro Silva

During 20 years, Miguel Castro Silva has participated in Port wine tastings, experiencing combinations with this nectar, always trying to depart from the classical dessert.

After an extensive tasting discovering the vast stock of C. da Silva, arose the idea of creating a White Port with dry and open profile, thought to act as a balm, with a unique structure and color, an amber color with golden tints, highlights its potential when tasted with foie gras, orange cake and tuna based entrees.

Thought to taste at the table, but not only, DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva shows qualities of a Port wine thought for a simple tasting, served between 12º to 14º as an aperitif before a meal.