Quinta das Carvalhas
Quinta das Carvalhas - Real Companhia Velha
| Owner | Silva Reis family |
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The Quinta das Carvalhas has a prominent position on the left bank of the Douro River facing Pinhão. It is most certainly the largest Quinta in the whole of the Douro Region. Written reference about Carvalhas can be traced back to 1759 i.e. since Pombal’s demarcation. Miguel de Souza Guedes bought Quinta das Carvalhas in 1880 and it was not until then it start produce Port Wine.
Real Compania Velha bought Suoza Guedes & Irmao in 1975 and in that bargain Quinta das Carvalhas was included and this quinta is undoubtedly the jewel of Real Companhia Velha crown.
| Quinta das Carvalhas Vintages: | 1962 (Souza Guedes & Irmao), 1963 (Souza Guedes & Irmao), 1970 (Real Comp. Velha), 1977 (Real Comp. Velha), 1997 (Real Comp. Velha), 1998 (Real Comp. Velha), 1999 (Real Comp. Velha), 2000 (Real Comp. Velha), 2001 (Real Comp. Velha), 2002 (Real Comp. Velha), 2003 (Real Comp. Velha), 2004 (Real Comp. Velha), 2005 (Real Comp. Velha), 2007 (Real Comp. Velha), 2011 (Real Comp. Velha), 2012 (Real Comp. Velha), 2013 (Real Comp. Velha), 2015 (Real Comp. Velha), 2016 (Real Comp. Velha), 2017 (Real Comp. Velha), 2018 (Real Comp. Velha), 2020 (Real Comp. Velha) |
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| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 1997 |
| Colour | Still quite dark but with a yellow mature edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Cacao, liquorice, some herbs and a hint of violets in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Still some round and elegant tannins and will probably be better. Balanced and quite complex. With a taste of cacao, some herbs and spiciness and lovely liquorice and maybe lavender. Quite long and attractive finish. Very easy to drink and enjoy indeed. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 20th February 2021 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 1998 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Fruit and berry in the nose | Score range | 14.50 - 14.50 |
| Taste | Medium body. Fruit in flavour. Not so much tannins as expected. Quite modern port. Nice but a bit short finish. No long runner. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 15th September 2004 | Point this date | 14.50 |
| Comment | At a trip to Porto and Douro, Portugal with the Port Wine Club est.1981 in Copenhagen, Denmark | Tasters | SAI |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 1999 |
| Colour | Still quite dark ruby but with a yellow mature edge. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Cream candy, some toffee, chocolate, cacao, dried fruit and old grocery shop in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Almost mature but still with some very elegant and round tannin and maybe will be a little better. Balanced, sweet with complexity. Cream candy, toffee, some dried fruit and chocolate in taste and with a very tasty and elegant finish. Very easy to drink and enjoy indeed. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 21st March 2021 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2000 |
| Colour | Still quite dark but with a yellow mature edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, candy and lots of herbs such as cinnamon and mint in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite mature and lots of fruit but also some round tannins and will be better. Balanced with lots of herbs as ginger and mint in the mouth. Quite elegant with a lovely and rather long finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 15th May 2021 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Taste at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2001 |
| Colour | Lovely ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Sweet liquorice, toffee, cream candy, crème caramel and some herbs in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite mature and probably peaking. Balanced and very elegant with just a hint of round tannins. Sweet liquorice, toffee and crème caramel in taste Very easy to drink and enjoy with a sweet lovely and delicate finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 14th March 2021 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2003 |
| Colour | Still very dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry, cherry, blackberry, pale chocolate, cacao and some roasted coffee beans and nuts in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Still quite tannic and will be better but balanced and quite delicate with a lovely acidity. Cacao, pale chocolate and dark berry in taste with a long, lovely, tannic finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 22nd June 2018 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | Tasted at our apartment in the Douro Valley, Portugal. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2004 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Lovely bouquet of mulberry, dark berry, cacao and liquorice in the nose. | Score range | 15.90 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Still some soft and delicate tannin but very attractive taste of liquorice and cacao. Will be better but already today very attractive and enjoyable. Easy to drink and like and with a delicious finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 18th July 2015 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | At home with the family | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2005 |
| Colour | Very beautiful mature yellow edge in colour but still rather dark ruby. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Cacao, dark chocolate, oak, liquorice and dark berry in the nose. | Score range | 16.40 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium body Still not quite mature and will be better with some very soft and delicate tannin. Balance and quite elegant. Liquorice, cacao and chocolate in taste with a long and very attractive finish. Easy to drink and to enjoy indeed. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 21st June 2018 | Point this date | 16.40 |
| Comment | Tasted at our apartment in the Douro Valley, Portugal | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2007 |
| Colour | Dark blue maybe almost black in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry such as mulberry and blackberries but also cacao, minty and sand-tree in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Balanced but quite easy to drink even if there are lovely round tannins. Modern style but very attractive and elegant port Berries, mint, cacao and more in flavour. The finish is quite long with some lovely tannins. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 21st August 2021 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas | Vintage | 2012 |
| Colour | Still very dark ruby almost black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berries such as mulberry, dark cherry and blue berry, mature fruit, and some dark chocolate in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Lovely round and quite complex tannins and will develop a lot. Balanced and very tasty with dark berries, chocolate and fruit in the mouth. The finish is rich of tannins, lovely complex and quite long. Will be nice to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 6th June 2022 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2017 |
| Colour | Ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Cherry, mulberry and dark berry in the nose but also some interesting spiciness. Very generous bouquet! | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Balanced but modern style of port. Very tasty with dark berry of different kinds of sweet and elegant spiciness. Lovely and very complex finish. Interesting port indeed! | ||
| Last tasted | 29th November 2019 | Rating this date | Impressive |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta das Carvalhas Real Velha | Vintage | 2020 |
| Colour | Very dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berries suck as cherry, mulberry, blackberry but also dried fruit in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Lots of lovey tannins and will of course be much better and develop a lot. Balanced and tasty with a quite lovely and tannic finish. Will be very interesting to follow. | ||
| Last tasted | 25th September 2023 | Rating this date | Very Good/Impressive |
| Comment | Tasted at Real Companhia Velha’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |