Rozès Port Winery
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Rozès is one of the Douro Valley’s most historic port houses, combining Portuguese winemaking tradition with French entrepreneurial spirit. The company was founded in 1855 by merchants from Bordeaux who recognised the potential of great port wines and settled in Vila Nova de Gaia. Today, Rozès is part of Vranken-Pommery Monopole, one of Europe’s leading wine and champagne groups. Despite this international affiliation, the house retains its independent character and continues to maintain close ties with the Douro Valley. The grapes come mainly from the company’s own vineyards and from long-standing partner estates in the region’s finest wine-growing areas. Quinta do Grifo, one of the most beautiful historic quintas in the Upper Douro, plays a key role. The steep terraced slopes along the river are predominantly planted with the classic Port grape varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão. The stony schist soils retain both heat and water, forming the basis for concentrated, aromatic grapes.
In the cellar, the wines mature – depending on the style – either for many years in large wooden casks and pipes for Tawny Ports, or in tanks and bottles for Ruby, LBV and Vintage Ports. Particular attention is paid to the long cask ageing of the mature Tawny Ports, which are among the house’s flagship wines. The Ruby and Vintage Ports impress with intense aromas of dark berries, plums and spices, as well as a dense structure. The long-aged Tawny Ports, on the other hand, develop complex notes of walnut, almond, dried fruit, orange peel, caramel and delicate spices, underpinned by a remarkable freshness. This balance between maturity, concentration and finesse has characterised the house’s style for generations. With over 170 years of history, Rozès is one of the established names in the port trade. Unlike most other houses, which have either Portuguese or English roots, its links to France have always been strong.
© Images: Rozès
