| Region of production: | Douro |
| Winery Location: | Vila Nova de Gaia |
| Year Established: | 1868 |
Vineyard Holdings
- None
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- His Eminence’s Choice 10 Years Old Tawny: Blend of 6- to 30-year-old Tawny Ports.
- Vintage Ruby: Produced primarily from Quinta da Corte, along with vineyards in the Tavora and Roncão valleys. Aged two years in oak vats before release. Inaugural vintage 1870.
- Quinta da Corte: Long-term contract held with the family. Corte is the backbone of the Vintage Port in declared years. Inaugural vintage 1978.
Summary
Delaforce was founded in 1868 by George Henry Delaforce after his family fled religious persecution in France. The house quickly garnered a strong reputation in Portugal and even became the purveyor of Port wine to the Portuguese royal family from 1894 to 1906. Real Companhia Velha purchased the house from the Fladgate Group in 2008 and introduced a selection of Douro table wines.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Delaforce is known for lighter wines and blending expertise, particularly with its Tawny Port. Grapes are crushed and fermented in granite lagares at facilities in Cima Corgo, then transferred to 630-liter pipes or 25,000- to 110,000-liter vats for aging in Vila Nova de Gaia. The larger vats are intended for less oxidation and elevated fruit in the resulting wines, while the pipes promote a more equal balance between fruit and oxidative characteristics.
Producer Website: Delaforce