About
Royal oporto
Historical
Overview
Royal Oporto is the flagship Port Wine brand of Real Companhia Velha, created shortly after the Company’s foundation in 1756. The brand name emerged as the English translation of Real Companhia dos Vinhos do Porto in the early days.
The history of Port Wine is inseparable from that of Real Companhia Velha, the institution responsible for demarcating the Douro Wine Region in 1756 and regulating Port Wine production and trade for nearly a century, until 1834.
For more than two and a half centuries, Royal Oporto has mastered the art of producing wood-aged Ports. Since 1960, the Silva Reis family has preserved and strengthened this legacy, developing a unique and recognizable style.
Chronology
1756 › 1834
THE FOUNDATION AND ITS PURPOSE
The history of Real Companhia Velha is intertwined with Port Wine. Its establishment had two objectives: promote Port Wine beyond the English market, and simultaneously establish the world’s first demarcated wine region.
1834 › 1960
THE COMMERCIAL ERA
With liberal ideas prevailing, the Company gradually lost its privileges. In 1834, it ceased all state-delegated regulatory duties and began operating solely as a commercial entity.
1960 › 1997
THE ERA OF MANUEL DA SILVA REIS
In 1960, Manuel da Silva Reis acquired the controlling stake. Until 1974 the Company experienced its greatest period of expansion, marked by acquisitions of various Port Wine companies and investment in production technology.
1997 › present
THE ERA OF PEDRO SILVA REIS
The era of Pedro Silva Reis is characterized by a strong focus on quality, the creation of a technical team in the areas of viticulture and oenology, and a strong emphasis on premium Port categories through the expansion of quality vineyard area, always respecting the legacy of this historic house.
House Style
The house style refers to the wine profiles that define a brand according to its legacy and tradition. This stylistic identity remains consistent across the entire range.
For Ruby Ports such as Vintage and LBV, the origin of the grapes is decisive. In contrast, Tawny Ports rely heavily on blending wines of different ages, where long maturing, maintenance and the master blender’s expertise play a central role.
Royal Oporto Tawnies are crafted around an elegant and harmonious profile, balancing every element: the fruit, spirit integration, sweetness, cask nuances and maturity.
“We follow the belief that a quality Tawny Port is not merely a wine that shows great age or intense cask notes but one that reveals a complex matrix. Our interpretation of quality in a Tawny emerges when we succeed in preserving the primary notes of the base wine while combining them with the complexity of aromas and flavours developed through ageing.”
Pedro Silva Reis — Master Blender
Pedro Silva Reis
Master Blender
Tiago Silva Reis
Blender
Jorge Moreira
Technical Director
Diana Vasconcelos
Blender
The OrigiN of Our Wines
Our grapes come from our own estates — Quinta das Carvalhas, Quinta dos Aciprestes and Quinta de Cidrô — located in Pinhão, Tua, and São João da Pesqueira respectively, as well as from trusted growers in the villages of Covas do Douro (Cima Corgo) and Freixo de Numão (Douro Superior).
Grapes sourced from Pinhão and Covas do Douro provide concentration, depth and power, resulting in wines with dark fruit aromas, herbal nuances and earthy undertones. From Tua and Freixo de Numão, the Ports tend to be generous and fruit forward, displaying elegant tannins. From the high plateau of São João da Pesqueira, the wines are floral, fresh and marked by superb acidity.
Our Ports are produced at the company’s winery in Granja de Alijó, in the heart of the Douro Valley, under rigorous quality standards. At this location, we benefit from a wide range of vinification vats and techniques, allowing flexibility and precision across all Port styles. In spring, our Ports are gradually transported to our cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing and bottling.
Wine Profile Fresher profile with structure;
Touriga Nacional shows citrus and floral notes.
LBV quality
Wine Profile Ripe red fruit, medium structure with an elegant profile.
Aged Tawnies quality
Wine Profile Complex wines with a mysterious aromatic profile; intense, deep black fruit, wild herbs and subtle inky nuances.
Vintage & LBV quality
Wine Profile Very ripe black fruit with
pronounced rockrose notes.
LBV & Aged Tawnies quality
Wine Profile Complex wines with great
intensity of flavour.
Vintage & LBV quality