The native grape varietals

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Thursday, October 20, 2011 / / 0 comments

There is a wide range of grape varietals in the Demarcated Douro region, in the north of Portugal.
These grape varietals have adapted to different climate conditions, and micro-climates... the terroir ability to offer optimal conditions to wines.

The native varietals have been grafted with different types of rootstocks since that philoxera (pest that destroyed most of the vineyards all over Europe) reached to Portugal in 1865.
This process has been done according to their compatibility with different types of roots and the characteristics of the soil in which the vines were planted.

The cultivation of the different types of vines is regulated by a Decret-Law, that lists all the authorized varietals, the  recommended ones and percentages.

Nowadays, winemakers and oenologues have opted for about fifteen white grape varietals (for example: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Donzelinho, Rabigato, Côdega, Gouveio...) and about fourteen of red grapes varitals (for example: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca...)

The maximum authorized yield is 5500 litres/ha - 7500kg/ha, but anually the average per hectare is aproximately 3000 litres/ha - 4100kg/ha.

Gonçalo Devesas

Douro Wine region... World Heritage !

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Saturday, October 15, 2011 / / 0 comments

The Alto Douro Wine Region, has been inscribed as World Heritage in December 2001, one of the three pre marked areas of the Douro region that represents 110.000hect of the vast Demarcated Douro Region (250.000hect).
In 1756 the “Marques de Pombal” restricted the Douro Valley region with 335 milestones, distributed along 250.000 hec. ,making it the oldest defined and protected wine region in the world.

A living landscape where generations of men have been working for years and years, blasting the shale, revolving the land, planting the vines, creating the terraces that surround us through hills ... a feat rewarded with a “honorable mention” for the first demarcated region in the world with three pre marked areas.

Row upon row of walls; paths; vineyards... all the pieces of a perfect puzzle

 A unique landscape, with a lot to discover, such as the Estates, the stairways to heaven (slopes), the terraces, the paths, the vineyards, the olive groves, wathercourses, quays and railways.
An amazing scenarium when seen from the top of a slope, where the incredible designed rows of walls is the most important highlight of the landscape, as it makes us reflect upon the meaning of the hard work that went into their construction.

Therefore our Port wine is the pure reflection of the Douro in the diversity of native varietals and a unique terroir.

Gonçalo Devesas

Vintage declarations

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Wednesday, October 12, 2011 / / 0 comments

The most prestigious category, representing about 2% of the annual production of each Shipper.
The grapes must be picked from vines graded with A and B quality, and should be bottled between July 1 of the second year and June 30 of the third year posterior to the harvest.

After fermentation the Port wines are selected and then kept to age in huge oak vats, samples are then sent to the IVDP - (Port Wine Institute) for tastings and thousands of chemical analysis made annualy.

If the Port wine Company received approval that the wine will be certified as a Vintage, others Cellars/brands will be consulted and the market conditions studied in order to declare the previous year as a traditional Vintage, being classified as a fabulous year for most of the shippers.

Still the Vintage will be quite different from a House to another, because of the micro climate, the House style and vinification process...

It is with the Vintage that Port Houses are still using the granite tanks (5,000ltrs to 8,000ltrs)  for the foot trodden, where the men, usualy vineyard workers that will be doing the treading sessions for about three hours during the night.

Gonçalo Devesas

After the harvest...till being served in your glass.

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / / 0 comments

Usually the young Port wines are kept in Quinta dos Avidagos, our vinification center (located in Alvações do Corgo, close to Régua - the Douro valley) for their first winter before being brought down the Douro river, where the lower temperatures and higher humidity is better for the Port´s maturation.

In our Cellars with 10,000 square meters, the Port matures in very old seasoned oak casks called pipas (pipes).
During this amazing aging process it will be tasted regularly by our winemakers or oenologues, to assess its quality.

Our Ports will gradually mellow in an oxidative process "angels share", with this process (Tawny Port) we are losing about 2% to 3% of Port annualy, achieving a nutty and amber hue and an incredible taste based in dry fruits shell, toffee, cigar box, coffee, stewed figs, bitter chocolate hints... softness and an elegant delayed after taste.

Since 1862 that C. da Silva, a traditional Port wine House, has been driven by the ambition of presenting the higher quality, namely for the "Colheita" and Aged Tawnies.

Devotion and passion a full time commitment

The Aged Tawny matures in oak for long and variable periods of time, in which the age indicated on the label corresponds to the approximate average of several Colheita Port wines in the blend.
Highlighting its long aging in seasoned oak, the Tawny with thirty or over fourty years old will present a golden color with greenish tints, evolving, reaching a bouquet which brings out the very complex aroma.

Depending on the desire to preserve Port´s longevity in the bottle, or for immediate consumption, it is very important to know the temperature range, bottling date and recommended storage period after opening.

Above all, you should not feel shy and do it relaxed when it comes the time to enjoy the extraordinary range of DALVA´s Port wines.

Gonçalo Devesas

C. da Silva / DALVA´s Golden path

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Friday, September 16, 2011 / / 0 comments

The uniqueness of the Golden Whites has started long time ago with the Imperial White Port - Special Reserve Vintage 1917.


The last oak cask of a myth - DALVA Golden White 1952


C. da Silva has carried the seal of long time supplier to the Royal House, therefore the reason of the word "Imperial" in the label of the very old Ports that emerged in the first two decades of the twentieth century.

Ageing White Port wines from a single harvest in small french oak casks has been since the very beginning our devoted quest for a distinctive Port.

It was the reputation of this wines, DALVA Golden White 1952 and recently the DALVA Golden White 1963, that made C. da Silva an internationaly recognized Port Company, wich has earned several and prestigious prizes.

The first DALVA White Colheita harvested in 1917

Blended and single harvest Port wines ageing permanently in 2900 seasoned french oak casks, with about 250 to 730 liters, till their bottling date.

Currently the Golden White path is a very serious and long commitment for the dedicated staff and the passionated management, recognized worldwide since 2005, with more surprises to come when we just reached less than 400 liters of the liquid gold.

DALVA Golden White 1952

No no... you may take a deep breath, the DALVA Golden White 1952 will not be bottled in a flask.

Since the very beginning the main goal of this traditional Port wine Company was, is and will be, to conquer a market of authentic and unique Port.

Gonçalo Devesas

TEAM DALVA...recovering traditions.

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Tuesday, September 06, 2011 / / 0 comments

DALVA´s cocktail party at the river front

2th of June 2011… at the sunset, in the riverfront, near to C. da Silva wine shop, we promoted a cocktail party with the DALVA Dry white and the Rosé, for the TEAM DALVA.


C. da Silva is sponsoring a racing team in the Fiat Uno national championship.


DALVA´s racing car

Motor racing has been a family (C. da Silva) tradition since the late sixties...

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.

In 1977 on 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.

"Kiko" da Silva at the wheels of an Opel Commodore GS/E 

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.

Now recovering another tradition, C. da Silva is back to the racing tracks…

Gonçalo Devesas

 

Port a national symbol !

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Friday, September 02, 2011 / / 0 comments

Port wine was, and is, a key product for the National economy and even more a symbolic asset that represents Port througout the world.

The designation Port wine appeared during the second half of the 17th century due to an incredible expansion of Douro viticulture and a rapid growth in wine exports.

It all began in 1680, on that time there were political diferences between the french prime minister, Colbert and King Charles II from UK.

These political diferences led both countries to the Augsburg battle in 1688, forcing the british royalty to send merchants seeking for alternative wine sources, Italy, Spain but most of all the North of Portugal.

As the brithish people´s taste started to become more sofisticated, the merchants went into the core of the Douro valley where the quality was amazing.

In 1703 the Methuen treaty, for the wine exports Portugal was paying 2/3 of the exportation fees to U.K. while on the other hand Portugal was buying the textiles from the british.

Between 1710 and 1740, the Port era, the ships departed from Porto, that was a very important seaport located in the mouth of the Douro river heading towards England and abroad.
In England there were merchants with wagons pulled by horses waiting to load the oak casks, afterwards they would go to the castles and in the private cellars or warehouses the merchants staff would made the bottling.
Port was not a nobility drink, people drank Port in the taverns with a mug directly from the casks.

Elderberry and sugar were added to wine and everyone wanted to become a grape grower, so the quality decreased.
In order to stop with a lack of both quality and territorial coordination, in 1756 the portuguese prime minister, the Marquis de Pombal, ordered the distribution of 335 milestones along 250000hects.

Nowadays there are 45700hects cultivated and 39100 grape growers, Port is strictly controlled by the Port wine Institute inspectors and thousands of chemical analysis annualy made, before each Port producer gets the bottling approval.

Gonçalo Devesas