Ferreira Ruby Port
€ 12.50
Deep ruby in colour. On the nose, aromas of ripe and juicy strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants predominate. On the palate, the tannins are ripe and round and a refreshing acidity balances the sweetness and carries the ripe red fruit flavours onto the elegant finish.
Founded in 1751, Ferreira is the only Port house to have stayed in Portuguese hands since its inception. The house remains a firm favourite with port lovers in the domestic market and globally, defined by its historic reputation for unrivalled quality. Today, award-winning fortified winemaker Luís Sottomayor continues Ferreira’s legacy, making critically acclaimed Ports that rank among Portugal’s greatest wines. Most recently, this has included the 2018 Vintage Port, which received a perfect 100-point score from Wine Enthusiast.
Luís Sottomayor may be the modern hero of Ferreira, but it was under the tutelage of Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, one of the formidable widows of the world of wine, that the house’s historic reputation was cemented. Dona Antónia was ahead of her time, developing viticulture in the Douro Superior and maintaining the house’s impressive holding of older wine stocks. She also recognised the importance of vineyard ownership to guarantee quality in a period when most Port houses bought bulk wine from farmers. By her death in 1896, Ferreira had become the largest Douro landowner with numerous illustrious Quintas to her name, including Quinta do Vesúvio, Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta do Vale Meão. In testament to her enduring legacy, the residents of Porto recently voted to name a new bridge, due to open in 2026, the ‘Dona Antónia Ferreira’ bridge.
Today, Ferreira's flagship vineyard is the 27-hectare Quinta do Porto. Planted in 1771 and acquired by Dona Antónia in 1863, the vineyard is located on the north bank of the Douro, downstream from the village of Pinhão and facing Sandeman’s Quinta do Seixo on the south bank. The combination of this warmer mesoclimate, due to the south/south-west exposure of the terraced vineyards, and proximity to the river, creates Ports characterised by an exuberant ripeness and exceptional concentration, alongside excellent balance. Old-vine parcels, described by winemaker Luís Sottomayor as “over retirement age”, produce low yields of intensely flavoured grapes and form the backbone of many of the top Ports in the Ferreira range. The entire Quinta is dry farmed using sustainable practices and harvesting is carried out by hand.
Food pairing
Cool served as an aperitif with cheese, (smoked) ham and dried fruits. Also ideal for desserts made from chocolate, fresh fruit, red and wild fruits.
Grapes: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela
Upon arrival at the winery, the hand harvested grapes were partially destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation took place at controlled temperatures to preserve the bright fruit character of the grapes and regular pump overs and punch downs ensured extraction of optimum levels of colour, flavour and tannin. The ferment was closely monitored to determine the ideal moment to halt the fermentation by fortifying with grape spirit, leaving some of the grapes’ natural sugars. The wines remained in the Douro until the spring following the harvest when they were transported downstream to the historic Ferreira cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing in oak casks. The Ruby Port is a carefully assembled blend of wines with an average age of around three years.
Store & Serve
This port is bottled ready to drink and will not improve if stored for a long time. Serve between 12 º C - 16 º C. Decanting is not necessary and once opened this port keeps its flavour for about 2 months
Alcoholcontent
19,5%
Critics & Awards
Producer: Ferreira
Region: Douro