228 Port anD the Douro
in 1983. It was sold again to Sogrape in 1996 where it now sits alongside Ferreira and
Sandeman. Sogrape’s acquisition of Offley was a shrewd move, reinforcing its position
as one of the bestselling brands on the domestic market with an inexpensive ruby and
tawny duo known as ‘Duke of Oporto’. Ten-, twenty- and thirty-year-old tawnies under
the Baron de Forrester label are made to a high standard and since 1988, Offley has been
producing a good, unfiltered LBV, which is slightly drier in style than the norm. Offley’s
vintage Ports have been bottled under the name ‘Boa Vista’ for much of the twentieth
century, even though the quinta was outside the company. A certain amount of confusion
was created in 1987 when Offley declared two vintage Ports – Offley per se and Offley
Boa Vista – because of demand from the US. In spite of this, Boa Vista is a brand rather
than a single-quinta Port. Offley’s vintages are not massive, long-lived wines but they do
have huge appeal after ten years or so, developing wonderful violet-like aromas. Rainha
Santa is a sous-marque.
Poças
Manoel D. Poças Junior – Vinhos SA
Rua Visconde de devesas, 186, 4401-901 Vila nova de Gaia
tel. (351) 223 771 070
http://www.pocas.pt
The Poças family is a relative newcomer to Port, having set up in business as a brandy
trader in 1918. This lucrative business ceased abruptly in 1934 when the Salazar regime
imposed a monopoly on the distribution of the aguardente used to fortify Port. The
company was forced to sell its distilleries for a paltry sum and the founder’s grandson,
Manuel Poças Pintão, who runs the company has been vehemently opposed to the
authoritarian politics of the Estado Novo ever since. Helped by the acquisition of Quinta
das Quartas near Régua, the Poças family began to export wine. In spite of the depression
in the early 1930s, sales grew and Poças captured lucrative markets. However, they never
declared a vintage until 1960, preferring to concentrate on colheitas and tawnies instead.
The company’s founder, Manoel Poças Junior, firmly believed that vintage Port was the
preserve of the English houses but this did not stop him from bottling small quantities for
his own consumption. When he died in 1976, his grandson found 142 bottles of 1927
vintage Port stashed away in the cellar!
Since 1960 Poças has made up for lost time, declaring 1964, 1978 and 1990, as well
as all the mainstream vintages. In good years like 1963, 1970, and 1995, the wines are
rich, medium-bodied, middle-distance Ports although in 2000 Poças made a heavyweight
which is one of the leading wines of the vintage. In 2000 Poças bought an A-grade quinta
in the Caedo valley, now rechristened Quinta de Santa Barbara. Bottled as a single-quinta
vintage since 2001, this will certainly help reinforce the company’s position as a serious
player among shippers of vintage Port.
In the past the majority of their Poças Ports were destined for Belgium, Holland and
Denmark. This was reflected in the sweet, slightly jammy style of standard rubies and
tawnies, shipped either under the Poças, Pousada or Seguro brands according to the