Posted by C.daSILVA / at Monday, January 02, 2012 / / 0 comments

The GOLDEN WHITE will always be a category, an elite Port, related with the brand DALVA and House C. da Silva (Vinhos) S.A.

The most emblematic White Port wine, internacionaly recognized and acclaimed by the most prestigious Wine critics, DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 will be eternally recognized as an historic milestone, the breaking point for White Ports, a Port category known as a the baseline of Port wines, with an instantaneos idea of drinking it in tumbler as a cocktail or Port tonic... but why ?
The White Ports, with different sugar levels, have iniciated its trading in the eighties, always like an aperitif with almost any complexity, lower than its brothers Tawny and Ruby of Premium quality (Late Bottled Vintage; Vintage; Colheita and Aged Tawny).

In 2005, the DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 rowed against a very strong tide, initiating a remarkable path, considered today the White Ports flagship.
A single harvest White Port, previously known as blending Ports with an average about ten years old and aged in huge oak or stainless stell vats.
The DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 has initiated and its being kept in small seasoned french oak pipes, maturing as a single harvest Tawny or Aged Tawny trough an evaporating and oxidative process.

But, beyond the inovating concept, investiment, and a long ageing process, the most extraordinary characteristic is on the tasting.
The aromatic concentration is the remarkable and exciting, silky texture, an amazing bouquet... caramel, baked pear, caramelized orange, stewed figs, cinnamon, walnuts, sweet spices... really intense and unforgettable !

This growing sucess led the DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 to two serial numbers: 1141 (the number of the last cask of GOLDEN WHITE 1952) and 410 (the last remaining liters of this nectar).
In 2009, with a sucess inherited by its ancestor, C. da Silva has launched a new GOLDEN WHITE, harvested in 1963.

A serious commitment of launching a GOLDEN WHITE per decade, whith a new surprise for 2012, the promissed GOLDEN WHITE harvested in the seventies.

Gonçalo Devesas

DALVA Golden White...a UNIQUE Port category !

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, December 27, 2011 / / 0 comments

Despite the enormous dedication in all of our Port wines, in C. da SILVA / DALVA we´ve a UNIQUE Port category... the C. da SILVA / DALVA Golden White´s.
C. da SILVA / DALVA´s flagship... most of the people a little bit spread out in all over the world never heard about White Ports, or, if they had, probably the blending Whites with no more than three years old, but this exceptional (Golden White) White Port "Colheita"... turned that chapter forever.
A carefull selection of grapes gives a unique style to this single harvest wine, a 50 cl "Golden Nugget".
Decades of evaporation have concentrated this extraordinary wine almost to an essence.
Enormous complexity in aroma and flavours, it is a pleasure to be discovered by PORT LOVERS !

A public recognition of our Ports quality, it is a honor and a privilege, a very important argument in the presentation to new customers.



UNIC and RARE in ...this category. Made exclusively only with white grapes.

Nowadays our Cellar only makes the Dalva Golden White 1952 bottling by request, allowing the continuity ageing process of the DALVA Golden White 1952 in small french oak casks.

It presents us with a outstanding " bouquet", brutal acidity, it surprises any Portwine expert, due to the complexity, refined quality and a lingering finish.

Dry fruit shell, nougat, honey, caramel, vanilla, toffee, expresso, cigar box, butterscotch, caramelised orange, stewed figs... Toasted with an amazing silky texture...

Nowadays, also with an extraordinary sucess C. da SILVA / DALVA has the Golden White 1963, with a distinctive vision into the Port wine trade C. da SILVA / DALVA will continue with the Golden White´s heritage.

A long commitment, of releasing a Golden White per decade !

Gonçalo Devesas

GOURMET COMBINATIONS WITH DALVA´s PORT WINES.

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, December 20, 2011 / / 0 comments

Horchata de Chufa with DALVA´s Colheita  1967 reduction

A delicious combination of Dalva Colheita 1967 paired with Chufas de Foie Gras.
Ingredients: Foie Gras | Horchata | Trufles, Colheita 1967 reduction and Cocoa.

Question:
What is Horchata de Chufa?
Answer: "Horchata is a popular, refreshing drink consumed in Spain during the hot summers. It is made from the tubers of the nut sedge plant and in Spanish these are called chufas, hence the name horchata de chufa. Horchata has a white, milky appearance and is served ice cold."

Tiramisú with DALVA´s LBV 2005 reduction

A delicious combination of Dalva LBV 2005, a very fleshy and pulpy port wine, paired with Tiramisú made with figs, fresh cheese, LBV 2005 reduction and almond ice cream.

Dried furits Sabayon 1967

Dried fruits sabayon 1967

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
10cl of DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula
3 teaspoons with sugar
2 almonds
2 hazelnuts
10 seeds
10 raisins
10 grapes

Preparation:

Crush the nuts in a bulk. Add the grapes, 1 teaspoon with sugar, 5cl of DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula and melt it in a nonstick frying pan.
Prepare the sabayon joining the 2 egg yolks, 2 spoons with sugar and 5cl of DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula. Flap it well with cooking rods in water bath until obtain a homogeneous foam and evaporate the alcohol.
Place the caramelized fruit cocktail in a bowl and pour over the sabayon.
Serve with DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula  at 13°C.

Presentation:

Place the caramelized fruit cocktail in a bowl and pour over the sabayon.
Serve with DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula  at 13°C.

Gonçalo Devesas

INNOVATION PRIZE 2011

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, December 15, 2011 / / 0 comments

                            The first blended Port of a chef released to the market, was a... DALVA.

Mr. Rui Paula, the great portuguese chef, responsible for the amazing restaurants: DOC in Folgosa (the Douro Valley) and recently the DOP in the heart of Porto...

This fabulous DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula, aged in small french oak pipes, it is a special, limited, numbered and signed edition of 500 bottles.

After being the first chef doing a partnership with a Port wine Cellar - C. da Silva (Vinhos) SA, the chef Rui Paula won the INOVATION PRIZE at the 1st event of the Portuguese brotherhoods at Casino da Figueira da Foz.

The recognition of a total dedication to the Douro promotion by offering the highest quality in the service, elegant décor, cousy atmosphere and a rainbow of flavors and sensations...

Congratulations !

Gonçalo Devesas

DALVA Port wines... The DISTINCTIVE releases.

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, December 13, 2011 / / 0 comments

In order to distinguish our products of choice, we created the brand DALVA, a fortunate name, easy to pronounce in all languages whose origin lies in the founder´s surname DA si LVA.

With a wide range of Colheita and white Port wines; arises a visionary innovation by inviting Portuguese chefs for the exclusive and limited Port wine editions; by launching the Rosé; the Moscatel and twenty five years after the Douro DOP table wines... finally, the Golden Whites (Golden White 1952 and Golden White 1963), a serious investment in the launch of a rare White Colheita per decade.

C. da Silva wines are the culmination of a zealous vigilance during their aging process and the careful monitoring of quality by the most respected Winemakers in technologically advanced laboratories.

Our Sorcerer/Winemaker, Manuel Sousa Soares (left side)

The investment on research and new creative processes are also requirements for an elite product, available to a very few, with limited numbered and signed editions.

Examples of this are the partnerships with leading cooking Chefs of the national cuisine, like Rui Paula and Miguel Castro e Silva.

A real uniqueness in the area of Port wine, plain or accompanied by gourmet suggestions.

C. da Silva will always be internationally recognized as the first Port Wine Cellar launching the Golden Whites (the worldwide famous Golden White 1952), the DALVA Colheita 1967 Rui Paula and amazing but true, the best-seller in our shop... DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva, a half dry White with fifteen years old, wich has been really delighting our visitors.

DALVA Lote Miguel Castro Silva

Gonçalo Devesas

La Martiniquaise

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Sunday, November 27, 2011 / / 0 comments

A traditional Port wine firm founded in 1862 under the name Correa Ribeiro & Filhos, but it was in 1957 that the Company´s registration has been changed to: C. da Silva (Vinhos) S.A.

The Company has been family owned till 1980, after Mr. Clemente da Silva´s death, the family has decided to sell the Company, that has been bought by the spanish group Nueva Rumasa.

In 2007 it has been bought again by Gran Cruz Porto (1st worldwide), making part of La Martiniquaise (2nd Spiritis Group in France).

La Martiniquaise ownes Porto Cruz (leading product on the french market), and different spirits / brands, like:

Wiskies: Label 5
               Glen Turner
               Old Virginia
               Sam Barton
Aperitifs:
               Dauré
               Olympo
Port wine:
                Porto Cruz
                DALVA
Madeira wine:
                Justino Henriques
White Spirits:
                 Poliakov Vodka
                 Gibson´s Gin
                 Tiscaz Tequila
                 Anis Gras

The creation of La Martiniquaise has began in 1934, its prime activity was the importation and the distribution of Rum. After World War II the boom of this Company, the founder Mr. Jean Cayard started innovating and diversifying the range of products.

Nowadays, La Martiniquaise is a Company with international dimension, that has now nearly 1500 employees, 18 ageing centers, 15 subsidiaries and 165 millions of bottles on ageing stock, being the leading Company Worlwide for Port wine, Madeira, Rum of the Antilles, Armagnac and Calvados.

As an independent Group of Companies the lemma is the full dedication to offer the best quality available to all.         

Gonçalo Devesas

C. da Silva or DALVA ?

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, November 15, 2011 / / 0 comments

A very important issue that needs to be clarified…

During this last year that C. da SILVA opened the Port and Douro wine shop, many people have been making these questions:

“Do you have a new brand… C. da SILVA ? I have only heard about DALVA."
“Are you changing the name of the brand from DALVA to C. da SILVA ?"
"The reason of a rebranding and new packaging is related with this change ?"

Well C. da SILVA (VINHOS) SA is our Company´s trading registry, although this Company was founded in 1862, under the name Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos and carried the seal bearer of long time supplier to the Royal House.

But as a result of reasons lost in time, Mr. Clemente da SILVA (the founder) opted between 1933 and 1957 for changing the Company´s name.

C. da SILVA´s (VINHOS) SA major brand is DALVA, a name whose origin lies in the founder´s surname DA si LVA.

Therefore in the rebranding, below the bottles neck,  the first symbol (Mr. Clemente da SILVA side view) followed by the words (C. da SILVA), then our lemma "Distinctive Port" and the Company´s brand name... DALVA.

PRESIDENTIAL...another brand owned by C. da Silva (Vinhos) SA, that has been created for Export markets, like United States of America, Germany, Spain...

The same Port wine as in DALVA bottles but different presentation and packaging.

Gonçalo Devesas