Port ProDuCers anD shiPPers 221without going through the entreposto in Gaia. Until 1978, Infantado sold wine to Taylor.
The estate belongs to the Roseira family, who endeavour to farm Quinta do Infantado’s
forty-five hectares of vineyard using the minimum amounts of pesticide and herbicide. Two
plots are completely organic and Quinta do Infantado bottles a small quantity of powerful,
concentrated organic reserve Port.
João Roseira is in charge of the winemaking while his sister Catarina runs the business
side. Most LBV and vintage Port is foot-trodden lagar. Infantado’s 2000 was entirely foot
trodden. Wines are much drier in style than average (2.4–2.7 degrees Baumé) but make
up for this with huge concentration of fruit. Infantado’s 1997 vintage Port is incredibly
dense and opulent, made from fruit picked at 16 or 17 Baumé and fortified with 50 litres
of aguardente as opposed to the 100 litres per pipe that would normally be required.
Infantado’s LBV is only produced from non-vintage years and is effectively declassified
vintage Port. In 1991 Infantado produced a varietal vintage Port made entirely from
Touriga Nacional. Although the legislation does for allow for varietal Port to be sold as
such, it is to my knowledge the first such Port on the market.
casal dos Jordões*
Arlindo da Costa Pinto e Cruz
casais do douro, 5130-052 são João de Pesqueira
tel. (351) 254 738 302 / (351) 259 092 358
http://www.winedouro.com/index_en.html
The Jordão family are the only producers making entirely organic Port, certified in Portugal
by Socert. Their forty-three hectares of vineyard are well located in the Rio Torto at an
altitude ranging from 90 to 300 metres above sea level. Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and
Tinta Barocca are the principal grape varieties. The company produces reserve ruby and
tawny Ports as well as organic Douro wines under the Quinta da Esteveira label. I have only
tasted their reserve Port which is full bodied, rich and spicy. Casal dos Jordões also produce
organic olive oil.
Kopke*
C. N. Kopke & Ca. Lda
Rua de serpa Pinto, 183-191, apartado 42, 4431-901 Vila nova de Gaia
tel. (351) 223 752 420
http://www.kopkeports.com
Established by a German, Cristiano Kopke, in 1638, this is the oldest company of foreign
origin in Portugal. Little is known of the intervening period as much of the company’s
heritage was destroyed by a fire in 1882. Kopke was bought by Barros Almeida in 1953 and
became part of Spanish-owned Sogevinus in 2006 but is still run as a separate entity with
its own cavernous lodge in Gaia.
Kopke boasts a very fine range of tawnies and colheitas with stocks going back to 1938.
Vintage Ports can also be impressive, particularly the 1970, which has developed better than
some of the well-known names. The wines are based on Quinta de São Luíz, which was