Last Sundays Winefields auction included a number of bottles of Maia branded port, unknown to me. I googled the brand anf found out that it was apparently owned by the Douro Wine Shippers and Growers Association, in turn once owned by Barros Almeida. Bottling took/takes(?) place at Hutcheson and/or Feuerheerd.
This is all I could find, Winesearcher doesn't help either and there are no tasting notes in the FLOP data base.
The bottles:
Maia Colheita
1937, bottled in 1986
1957, bottled in 1983
1968, bottled in 1982 (described as RUBY(!) Colheita)
1975, bottled in 1984
Maia Vintage
1982, bottled in 1984
1983, bottled in 1985.
I'd like to increase my knowledge about Port houses, so could someone provide some info about Maia? Dr. Tawny ?
I only have a vague recollection of Maia Port, which makes me suspect that I've only seen a bottle of it somewhere or that I heard about it at some point through FTLOP. Since I've visted Barros a couple of times on somewhat recent tours, I suspect my memory comes from one of those trips.
Regarding the Maia brand, the VPID (Vintage Port Image/Identification Database) has pictures of a bottle of their 1987 VP (see here), and the label from that photo shows that the 1987 VP was bottled by "Hutcheson, Feuerheed & Associados". Those images came from the guys at vintageport.se where there are some tasting notes and more information on the other years that Maia VP was released and by which owner here.
If you acquired the bottles or took any photos at the auction, I'd be interested in adding any pictures of the other vintages of their vintage ports to the VPID if you were willing to share.
Bottled by the Douro Wine Shippers and Growers Association, LDA. Apparently all bottled for the Dutch market as it also reads 'Sole distributor for the Netherlands DE NEDERLANDSE CENTRALE KELDERS (THE DUTCH CENTRAL CELLARS). This company purchased wines and stronger stuff for over 40 Dutch wine shops. Ceased to exist in the late 1990's.
Still wondering who invented Ruby Colheita........
?
