C. da Silva is a historic Port house based in Vila Nova de Gaia whose principal brand today is Dalva. Its historical roots reach back to Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos, founded in 1862. The modern identity of C. da Silva took shape in 1933, when Clemente da Silva returned from Brazil and used the wine stocks and commercial connections of his wife's family as the basis for an independent business. In 1934 he registered the Dalva brand, a shortened form of "da Silva".
Dalva is now part of Granvinhos, formed in 2023 through the incorporation of C. da Silva and Companhia União dos Vinhos do Porto e Madeira into Gran Cruz Porto and the subsequent renaming of the company. Granvinhos belongs within the French La Martiniquaise group. Dalva is particularly associated with wood-aged Port, including a broad Colheita programme and a distinctive range of aged white Ports led by Golden White.
| Property | Details |
|---|---|
| Historical roots | 1862, Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos |
| Creation of C. da Silva | 1933 by Clemente da Silva |
| Dalva brand registration | 1934 |
| Base | Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal |
| Region | Douro / DOC Porto |
| Current group | Granvinhos |
| Group ownership | La Martiniquaise |
| Integration into Gran Cruz | 2007 |
| Creation of Granvinhos | 2023 |
| Key Port styles | Colheita, Aged Tawny, Aged White, Golden White, Dry White, LBV, Vintage |
| Other wines | DOC Douro, sparkling wine, Moscatel, Late Harvest |
| Website | https://www.dalvawines.pt/ |
The house's background begins in 1862 with Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos, a company owned by the family of Clemente da Silva's future wife. It already had wine stocks and trading connections. Dalva's official history therefore uses 1862 as the origin of the tradition while making clear that Clemente da Silva only established his own operation in 1933. After business activity in Brazil he returned to Portugal, developed his own stocks and registered Dalva in 1934.
The company became strongly export-oriented, initially focusing on Brazil and the United States before expanding into Europe and Asia. During the twentieth century ownership changed several times. In 2007 C. da Silva was acquired by Gran Cruz Porto, which belongs to the French group La Martiniquaise. In 2023 C. da Silva and Companhia União dos Vinhos do Porto e Madeira were incorporated into Gran Cruz Porto and the combined group adopted the name Granvinhos. Historic commercial names continued to be used.
Dalva's Ports originate in the Demarcated Douro Region. The official brand site does not present one single estate as the exclusive source of production. Specialist sources mention historical links with Quinta dos Avidagos, while the house also works with grapes and wines from multiple Douro areas and many growers. Traditional red varieties include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão.
Wood ageing is central to the style. Tawny and Colheita develop oxidatively in cask, and the same principle is applied to white wines destined for long-aged white Port. With age they develop golden to amber colours and aromas of dried fruit, nuts, honey, spice and mature wood. Vila Nova de Gaia remains part of the historical ageing identity, while modern Granvinhos infrastructure, including the Adega do Cedro opened in Peso da Régua in 2026, supports the current production and logistics network.
Dalva covers almost the full classic range of Port categories. The portfolio includes Ruby, Tawny, White, Reserve and Dry White, with particular emphasis on Aged Tawny and Colheita. The most distinctive category is aged white Port. The Golden White range consists of white Ports matured for extended periods in wood, a comparatively unusual category that has become central to the house's identity.
Dalva also produces Late Bottled Vintage and Vintage Port. Since 2010 the company has again expanded its still Douro wine activity, adding DOC Douro, sparkling wine, Moscatel and Late Harvest to the broader portfolio.
Dalva combines the structure of a classic Port shipper with a particularly strong focus on old white Port. Golden White is therefore more than a single product line and has become a defining part of the brand. The history also requires a clear distinction between 1862 as the Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos origin, 1933 as the establishment of Clemente da Silva's own business and 1934 as the registration year of Dalva. Today the brand is part of Granvinhos and the La Martiniquaise group but retains its historic name and individual Port profile.