Who owns the most vineyards in the Douro?

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:57 pm

That should be an easy question to answer.

But if you are up for a challenge, how many vineyard sites does this shipper own? ______

Extra credit goes to the person who get the actual number correctly and can also name all of the vineyards.

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:37 pm

Without the benefit of google, the links from this website, or any other internet searches... I would guess at the Symingtons as having the most. I would further guess at 20 vineyards.

As far as the names... well, I'll let someone with a much better memory than I come up with that one.

Am I at least CLOSE?

Todd

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:26 pm

Gotta be Royal Oporto, but since the size of vinyards are different, I have no idea as to the number of individual ones. I'll guess 28.

Marc J. · Post by **Marc J.** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:03 pm

I'd vote for Royal Oporto - with Cockburns a close second.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:16 pm

Wow, I thought this was going to be one of my easier quiz questions! :devil:

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:38 pm

I have no doubt, it's a tricky question but quite easy if we think a little bit..

No doubt... it's the Symington Family with 22/24 estates I think:

Dow’s

Quinta do Bomfim
Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira
Quinta do Santinho
Quinta de Cerdeira
Quinta do Sol (winery)

Smith Woodhouse
Quinta da Madalena

Quinta do Vesuvio SQ

Graham’s
Quinta dos Malvedos
Quinta das Lages - old vines
Quinta da Vila Velha
Quinta do Vale de Malhadas

Warre’s
Quinta da Cavadinha
Quinta Retiro Pequeno
Quinta das Andorinhas
Quinta do Alvito

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:20 pm

Anyone want to challenge Mr. Gustavo?

If he forgot Dow's Quinta do Sol, Q do Satinho, Q da Cerdeira, Q da Fonte Branca ... are you willing to bet on the fact he is right?

What about little thought of folks like Sogevinus, Cruz etc... not to mention the behemoth Royal Oporto? Do you have an understanding of how many properties these shippers own?

Besides, I am also looking for the number of Quintas owned by the Shipper with the most properties.

Raj Patil · Post by **Raj Patil** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:25 pm

I believe the Symington's now owns 20 quintas since they have completed a buyout of Cockburn's.

Raj Patil · Post by **Raj Patil** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:56 pm

Interesting that the Real Companhia Velha website says:

Real Companhia Velha is the leading producer of Porto and the largest owner of Premium land in the Douro Valley.

They list these properties:

» Quinta das Carvalhas

» Quinta de Cidrô

» Quinta dos Aciprestes

» Quinta do Casal da Granja

» Quinta do Síbio

» Quinta do Corval

Raj Patil · Post by **Raj Patil** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:02 pm

another search shows SoGrape has the largest number of grape vineyards, but they are obviously not all port.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:07 am

Raj,

Not only they not all Port, but some of their vineyard sites do not have Quintas on them.

Real Companhia Velha is the leading producer of Porto and the largest owner of Premium land in the Douro Valley.

I've visited them on several occasions and believe the above, to be a true statement. But that transpires to be the quantity of hectares, not Quintas.

The statement above about the Symington's owning 20 Quintas is inaccurate.

If nobody gets the answers correctly by Friday, I'll post them here!

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:28 am

Roy Hersh wrote:

What about little thought of folks like Sogevinus, Cruz etc... not to mention the behemoth Royal Oporto? Do you have an understanding of how many properties these shippers own?

Sogevinus and RCV I think that they can cause some competition, but Cruz? Everybody knows that they are, in fact, the biggest EXPORTERS/shippers of Port (they claim, worldwide) although they're 99% based in France and Belgium.

I continue to stand for Symington Family, even not including new Estates from Cockburn's... they must own 22/24 estates.

Biggest estate like I said - Quinta do Ventozelo - 600 ha

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:01 am

OK, it is officially FRIDAY just about anywhere that we have FTLOP members ... well almost.

Anyway, Gustavo was correct that it is the Syminton Family Estates. The most accurate number I am aware of is 23 Quintas owned by the family in total.

Raj Patil · Post by **Raj Patil** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:28 am

C'mon Roy - fork over the list of quintas.

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:27 pm

Todd Pettinger wrote:Without the benefit of google, the links from this website, or any other internet searches... I would guess at the Symingtons as having the most. I would further guess at 20 vineyards.

As far as the names... well, I'll let someone with a much better memory than I come up with that one.

Am I at least CLOSE?

Todd

Without googling - I came fairly close!

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:06 pm

Todd,

Not too bad.

BTW, I mentioned you to my friend Richard Beeken who was here from your area this past weekend. I think he is still in liver recovery mode. You two really need to meet. He has some great new information about the legal methods to bring wine into your Province of Alberta. The rest is up to you.

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 7:58 pm

Thanks Roy, I have been meaning to email Richard for a while now and every time I get more than five minutes to start composing, of course something comes up.

I'll go email him right now! :)

Todd