Quinta de la Rosa is a family-owned estate on the right bank of the Douro, about two kilometres from Pinhão in the Cima Corgo. The quinta has belonged to the Feuerheerd/Bergqvist family since 1906. The family's roots in the Port trade reach further back: Dietrich Feuerheerd arrived in Porto in 1815 and became involved in commerce including Port. In 1906 Quinta de la Rosa was acquired for Claire Feuerheerd and remained in the family even after Feuerheerd Bros. was sold in 1935.
The modern phase began in 1988, when Tim Bergqvist and his daughter Sophia relaunched the estate and once again produced Port under its own name. A Douro table wine followed in 1991. Today La Rosa combines Port, Douro DOC wines, viticulture, hospitality and wine tourism. One notable feature is that its wines are produced and aged at the estate itself. Winemaker Jorge Moreira has worked with La Rosa since 2002.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Producer | Quinta de la Rosa |
| Family ownership since | 1906 |
| Historical roots in Port trade | since 1815 |
| Modern production under La Rosa | since 1988 |
| Address | Quinta de la Rosa, 5085-241 Pinhão, Portugal |
| Subregion | Cima Corgo |
| La Rosa vineyard area | around 62 ha according to the current producer website |
| Second estate | Quinta das Bandeiras / Passagem in Douro Superior |
| Owner | Bergqvist family, descendants of the Feuerheerd family |
| Winemaker | Jorge Moreira since 2002 |
| Notable Port styles | Ruby/Reserve, LBV, Vintage, age-indicated Tawny |
| Website | https://www.quintadelarosa.com/ |
The Feuerheerd family has been connected with the Port trade since the early 19th century. According to the estate, Dietrich Feuerheerd arrived in Porto from Hamburg in 1815 and developed trading activities there. Quinta de la Rosa was purchased in 1906 as a gift for Claire Feuerheerd, beginning the family's direct connection with the estate that continues today.
In 1935 the Port shipping company Feuerheerd Bros. was sold to the Barros family. Quinta de la Rosa, however, remained Claire's property and therefore stayed in the family. During the following decades, grapes were sold to larger Port houses including Sandeman.
In 1988 Tim Bergqvist and his daughter Sophia began a new phase. La Rosa again produced Port under its own label. A Port Futures initiative helped finance the relaunch, with supporters providing capital in return for Port. In 1991 the estate released its own Douro red wine and became one of the early producers to give dry quality wine a stronger role in a valley traditionally centred on Port.
Jorge Moreira joined in 2002 as winemaker and vineyard manager. In 2005 the family acquired Quinta das Bandeiras in Douro Superior, leading to the Passagem project. A winery dedicated to table wine opened in Sabrosa in 2006. Hospitality and gastronomy were later added to the estate's activities.
Quinta de la Rosa lies in the Cima Corgo near Pinhão. The current producer website states about 62 hectares of vineyards. The plots rise from the Douro riverbank to around 400 metres. Schist soils, varied exposures and major differences in altitude create numerous microclimates.
Documented vineyard sites include Vale do Inferno, Vale Grande, Dona Sofia, Vinha Grande Nova, Vedeal, Cerejinha, Dona Clara, Lamelas, Sara and Patricia. Red varieties include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Sousão, Tinta Cão and Tinta Barroca. Cerejinha was replanted in 2018/2019 with white varieties including Alvarinho, Arinto and Gouveio.
The second major property is Quinta das Bandeiras in Douro Superior. The approximately 100-hectare estate was acquired in 2005 and its planted vineyard area was subsequently expanded. Wines from this project are marketed under the Passagem name.
La Rosa combines modern temperature control with traditional methods. Granite lagares and foot treading continue to be used for selected wines. The estate also emphasises that winemaking and ageing take place at the quinta itself.
La Rosa's Port style is closely linked to fruit from its own vineyards. Differences in altitude and exposure allow the estate to combine fruit, structure and freshness. The producer presents freshness and minerality as important characteristics while retaining the concentration associated with the Douro.
The Port range includes fruit-driven Ruby or Reserve styles, Late Bottled Vintage, Vintage Port and wood-aged Tawny Ports. Vintage Port is one of the estate's flagship bottlings. The range also includes age-indicated Tawnies, among them a 30 Year Old Tawny launched to mark 30 years of the modern La Rosa era.
Alongside Port, La Rosa has built a significant position in dry Douro wines since 1991. According to the producer, roughly two thirds of production is now table wine, while Port remains a core part of the estate's identity.
Quinta de la Rosa illustrates the transformation of many Douro estates from grape suppliers into estate-bottling producers. The family resumed Port production under its own name in 1988 and soon became one of the early estates to develop premium dry Douro wines as a second major activity.
The continuity of family ownership since 1906 is also notable. Despite the sale of Feuerheerd Bros. in 1935, the quinta remained in the family. Today the estate combines historical Port traditions with estate winemaking, dry Douro wines, gastronomy and wine tourism.