TNR: Casa Ferreirinha Colheita 1998 (Douro)

[Ronald Wortel]

I've recently bought a bottle of this wine. It is a new wine in the (already quite extensive) range of Ferreirinha. Apparently the purpose is to launch it every year, but not necessarily as a Douro wine. It can be either Douro, Dão or Alentejo, depending on which wine in that vintage is the best representative for the year (and region).

A nice idea of course, but with this Douro wine it leaves me quite puzzled where I should put it in the range, since they already have:
- Barca Velha
- Reserva
- Quinta da Leda (with or without vineyard designation)
- Vinha Grande
- Callabriga
Is this a Reserva with a different name? Or is it in a completely different style?

Hopefully someone has already tasted the wine and will be able to give some more information about it. I find it all highly confusing (but very interesting)!

Thanks for any info.

BTW: to make things even more confusing, Sogrape (the owners of Ferreirinha) launched a new wine, called Callabriga! It's an affordable wine , that comes in two different types: Douro and Alentejo....

[Frederick Blais]

Hi Ronnie,

During the last Montreal wine fair, I was able to talk with Antonio Rocha Graça, he is responsible for wine making at Sogrape.

I was surprised to see yet another product in their Douro red wines. He explained me how the Colheita is produced. Each year they analyse the quality that they think can be a Barca Velha. If it does not have the Barca Velha characteristics, normally they do the Reserve. But now, if it does not have the Reserve characteristics, they release the Colheita. Pretty confusing, but according to him, you should see only one of the 3 brands from a distinct vintage on the market.

The 2 times I come to his stand to taste it, it was already empty, they had only a few bottles each day. So I guess it is pretty good.

[Ronald Wortel]

Thanks for the info Fred.

It seems to be quite a popular wine indeed. I ordered from Garrafeira Nacional (to even up an order of Niepoort 1970 8) ) and I had the last bottle available...