104 Port anD the Douro
registered road tanker arrived in Pinhão during one vintage, apparently laden with grape
must, word spread round the Douro in minutes. Some of the largest and most important
quintas are located in the vicinity of Pinhão, including a number of flagship properties
belonging to the major Port shippers.
Quinta do Vale da Figueira
5085 Pinhão
Grade a
A fig tree in the Douro usually indicates a watercourse, and Vale da Figueira means ‘fig tree
valley’. Although it was mentioned in Pombal’s day, the property came to prominence in 1878
when the first trials with American vines were conducted there in the wake of the destruction
wrought by phylloxera; a plaque in the adega records the event. Since the 1930s, Vale da
Figueira has been owned by the Hoelzer family who used to sell to Cálem but now sell to the
Symingtons. A small amount of wine is retained and bottled under the Quinta’s own label.
Quinta de la Rosa*
5085 Pinhão
tel. (351) 254 732 254
http://www.quintadalarosa.com
Grade a
There can be no finer christening present than Quinta de la Rosa, which was given to
Claire Feuerheerd by her English grandmother in 1906. It was originally named Quinta das
Bateiras after the hamlet on the opposite side of the river but was renamed ‘La Rosa’ by the
Feuerheerds after a brand of Sherry. The property still belongs to the same family, although
the Port-shipping firm of Feuerheerd became separated from the quinta when it was taken
over by Barros Almeida in the 1930s. In the interim La Rosa sold its wine to a number of
shippers, latterly to Sandeman, who built up the lagares and installed the ill-fated movimosto
system to make Port both with grapes from the quinta and nearby properties. Disappointed
by the quality of the wine being made at La Rosa, Tim Bergqvist, Claire Feuerheerd’s son
and current owner of La Rosa, decided it was time to strike out on his own and in the late
1980s the family began producing its own Ports and Douro wines. The vineyards rise from
the river, at about 90 metres above sea level almost up to Gouvaes at 400 metres, making
for a wide range of microclimates. The best vineyard, however, is Vale do Inferno (‘Hell
Valley’), a sheltered hollow with old vines close to the river. Built into the terraces just above
the railway line, the rather topsy-turvy house at La Rosa is one of the most appealing in
the Douro. The Bergqvists have built a number of rooms to receive paying guests (turismo
rural). A stay at La Rosa is the best way to experience the life of a working quinta.
Quinta da Foz*
5085 Pinhão
Grade a
Overlooking the mouth or foz of the River Pinhão, Quinta da Foz marked the easternmost
limit of Pombal’s initial demarcation. The Cálem family bought the estate in 1885, it having