Real Companhia Velha

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		250 Years of History

The Origins | The Royal Charter | The Recognition | Porto, a Classic
The Wine of the Kings | 250 Years of History

The Origins

Grape growing in the Douro Region dates back to pre-historic times.
In Bronze Age burying-grounds, grape seeds and even carbonised vine-shoots have been found.
With the Roman occupation, grape-growing underwent a large scale expansion-excavations carried out on the left bank of the River Tua cleary confirm the development and prosperity that the vine brought to the Douro Region.
The first known written reference to the name "Port Wine" applied to the Douro wine exported from the Oporto customs house dates from the end of 1678. Between 1680 and 1715, the expansion and growth of exports was remarkable, having increased from 800 to 8.000 barrels and reaching the expressive figure of 19.000 barrels in 1749. A great contribution to this increase was made by the mercantile spirit revealed by English merchants of the period settled in the city of Oporto.

Besides the commercial expansion, the very discovery was the result of a series of experiences and happy circumstances, as they added brandy to Douro Wines with the objective of preserving them during the long Sea Journeys.

The merchants of the period were surprised to find out that when brandy was added, the common Douro Wine, which suffered from harshness and astringency, gained a smoother taste and their flavour was considerably enhanced. The Anglo- Portuguese Treaty of 1703 set preferential customs tariffs for Port Wine sold in England as a result of the trade embargo impose by that country on France.
British pride had been puffed up, and to drink Port Wine was- more than a pleasure or a luxury- a patriotic act. It is even said that before the Battle of Trafalgar, Admiral Nelson sketched out his plan on top of a table with a finger he had dipped in a glass of Port.

Such sucess could not fail to produce greed, and the Douro was asked for more wine than the land could possible produce.
If the vine climbed up the slopes it also started to movedown into the dales, grapes were picked in the cool lowlands and the highlands.
Less scrupulous merchants bought wines from distant regions that were not proper for the purpose and blended them with those from the Douro Region, and the result wsa that Port Wine became discredited.
The activity stopped being lucrative and poverty gradually installed itself in the region.
The crisis could not continue - an overall intervention imposing rules and regulations was inevitable.

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The Royal Charter

On the 10th September 1756, The Real Companhia Velha was founded by Royal Charter of The King D. José I, under the auspices of His Prime Minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Mello, Count de Oeiras and Marquis de Pombal.
Formed by the most important farmers of the Upper Douro and the Good Men of the City of Oporto, the Company was entrusted with the task of "sustaining the cultivation of vines, conserving the production of them in their natural pureness, in benefit of Agriculture, Trade and Public Health.

Among the numberless services performed by the Company in favour of the public, the outstanding, because of their enormous importance, were the so-called Pombaline Demarcation in the Douro Region, carried out between 1758 and 1761 by the Deputies of the Board of the Real Companhia Velha. Thus the Port wine Region was delimited- being the oldest Demarcated Wine Region in the world.

The guidelines of the Company's activity, marked by a severe and rigorous legislation, laid solid foundations for a policy that gave great prestige to Porto Wine. Indeed, the ruinous prices before the foundation of the Company were replaced by fair ones imposed by it.
According to the Company's statutes, the prices should be "capable of sustainig with the reputation of the wine, the cultivation of the wine so that the Trade is well remunerated, farming recompensed, and everything foreseen with such ponderation that consumption is not made impossible by expensiveness nor cultivation abandoned because of cheapness".
Exports attained their best level, standing at 20.000 barrels in 1810. Port Wine had achived fame.

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The Recognition

In 1781 the Real Companhia Velha, also known as Royal Oporto Wine Company, presented its Portos to the Imperial lips of Catherine of Russia, through large shipments made in steamers freighted for the purpose.
This was the star of Portuguese Sea voyages to the Baltic ports and trade with that country. As a result of the Company's action, exports of the famous wines of the Douro Region underwent considerable and successive increases.

During the French Invasions (1809), Napoleon's troops requisitioned the wines of Real Companhia Velha which thus came to be part of the rations of the French soldiers. Almost at the same time (1811), Lord Wellington and his troops were also consuming the Company's Porto Wines. The outstanding element in this was the supply of 300 barrels from the Company's warehouse at Régua, to the army then stationed in Lamego.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, whole fleets loaded with Real Companhia Velha Portos left for Brazil where the Company enjoyed the exclusive right to supply the wines of the Upper Douro. In 1851/52, the Company had stores of its wines at almost the whole world under the protection of the Portuguese Diplomatic Missions.
It also had the exclusiv right to supply Porto Wine to the tavern keepers of the City of Porto. To carry out this tremendous trade expansion the Company had to built several frigates to protect the Portuguese navigation from the Pirates that roamed about Portuguese coast.
For the training of the crews, the Company started in 1762 the Navy School and later on The Royal Navy and Trade Academy which had the purpose to teach drawing, navigation, international trade and languages such as English and French.
Some years later, the Royal Academy was integrated in the "Academia Politécnica do Porto" which is at the origins of Porto University.

Porto, a Classic

Since Portugal became an independent Country in 1143, the Portuguese became known for their adventurous spirit and for their ability in sailing which lesd them to discover in 15th and 16th centuries many parts of the world... but also for producing distinctive wines.
Among the various wines produced in our small country of 10 million habitants, located in the southwest part of the Europe, with the Atlantic Ocean at West and the Mediterranean influence in the South, there was one that, since early days, reached world-wide fame - Porto.
Known by the name of the city from where it is exported - Porto was commercially discovered in 17th century by the English who spread its fame all over the world.
Since then Porto Wine hasn't stopped to gain customers and new markets achieving today's annual consumption of 120 million bottles world-wide.
In spite of its significant volume, Porto sales are still very much concentrated in Western Europe and in countries with wine drinking tradition

The leading Porto market is France absorbing 2,9 million cases (32,5%), followed by Belgium 1,7 million cases (19,4%) and Holland 1,2 million cases (13,7%). Portugal represent 1,4 million cases and the United Kingdom 1,2 million cases. Other important markers in the Top ten raking are Germany, USA, Denmark, Italy and Spain.
Outside Western Europe and USA the sales are relatively small but there is signs that Asian, Eastern European and South American consumers are about to re-discover Porto and the recent marketing results in those markets are particularly encouraging.
Among the various categories of Porto there are also different styles accordingly to the blend techniques and the ageing process.
There is also different ways to consume Porto- aperitif, digestive or as a dessert wine. Although the most popular consumption is as aperitif, Porto is better known as the "best dessert wine in the world". But Porto also is highly respected as a very distinctive and fine digestive.

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The Wine of the Kings

Porto has had acclaims as no other wine in the world and for this reason it was said in the European Courts- Porto is the King of the wines, the wine of the Kings.
Whether claimed as a Portuguese creation, a British discovery or as an American passion in the distinctive personality of Porto and its inimitable character places it among the clonic drinks of this world.
Over 300 years of a well established reputation give to Porto the recognition of being the wine that can age longer than any other.

Porto is by definition a rich, fortified wine from the Douro- the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.
Made with the traditional Portuguese grape varieties of the area the fortifying process happens by adding grape spirit (brandy) to the musts while in full fermentation.
This leaves the wine with natural grape sweetness and a ripe fruity flavour at the same time it increases the alcoholic strength to 19/20º.
Among the grape varietis of the Region, there are more than thirty different varieties that are grown in the Region, but research done in the recent years, has identified five of them as being the ones of exceptional quality: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão and Touriga Francesa.

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250 Years of History

In 2006 Real Companhia Velha celebrates 250 years of existence and uninterrupted activity on behalf of the Porto Wine trade. Behind, there is a fabulous history and a glorious past. For the future there is the continuous commitment for quality and the confidence of a well established company with the vigour and the vision to make further history. Since its foundation by Royal Charter of King Dom José in 1756, many Kings have reigned in Portugal and the importance of Real Companhia Velha is well demonstrated through the numerous services to the community and the support of the majestic privileges granted by Queen D. Maria I, King D. João IV, Queen D. Maria II and King D. Pedro.

Besides the fact that not many companies have existed for so long, specially in the wine trade, what makes Real Companhia Velha unique is the way its own history is intimately linked to the history of the Porto Wine trade and to the history of Portugal itself.
For more than one century, between 1756 and 1865, Real Companhia Velha played such an important role in the Porto industry, as regulatory body, as well as trade promoter, that it can be said, the history of the Company is almost the History of Porto.

Since its primordiums, the company's activities were designated to protect and to develop the prestige and the sales of Porto Wine- Portugal's number one export product of that time. In fact, the importance of Porto Wine for the Portuguese economy in the middle and late 18th century was such that in 1799, Porto Wine represented more than 50% of the total Portuguese exports.

On the 7th December 1865 by Royal Decree of King Regent Dom Fernando who declared free the exports through the Porto Harbour of all wines produced in Portugal, the company lost its majestic privileges and became a public company trading in the open Porto market continuing to develop the reputation of its name all over the world.

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