Alves de Sousa
| Founded | 1991 (first own wine produced) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Domingos Alves de Sousa |
| Vineyards | Quinta da Gaivosa, Quinta das Caldas, Quinta da Aveleira, Quinta da Estação, Quinta do Vale da Raposa |
| Vintage Port Brands | Alves de Sousa, Quinta da Gaivosa, Quinta da Oliveirinha |
The Alves de Sousa family has been producing wines for several generations and today's team are the 3rd and 4th generation in the family. Domingos Alves de Sousa inherited the family's quinta in 1987 and later acquired additional properties. Currently, they own five quintas. For many years they supplied other Port companies like Ferreira and Borges but decided to make the wine in their own name, based at Quinta da Gaivosa. The first wine under their own brand was made in 1991. They made their first Vintage Port in 2003 under the name Quinta da Gaivosa. In 2009 they released Alves de Sousa Vintage port.
| Alves de Sousa Vintages: | 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Quinta da Gaivosa Vintages: | 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
| Quinta da Oliveirinha Vintages: | 2016, 2018, 2020 |
| House | Alves de Sousa | Vintage | 2009 |
| Colour | Still very dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Dark berries such as blueberry, black current and mulberry but also a hint of chocolate, cacao and maybe some liquorice in the nose. | Score range | 14.75 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Love round and elegant tannins. Loaded with dark berry with just a hint of chocolate and cacao in flavour. Balanced, sweet and quite complex with an attractive tannic finish. Modern style of port but very easy to drink and like. Will be very interesting to follow. | Average score | 15.38 |
| Last tasted | 13th May 2023 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Alves de Sousa | Vintage | 2011 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry and blue berry in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Mulberry in taste. Lots of tannin but elegant. Balanced and easy to like. Quite long and interesting finish. | ||
| Last tasted | 2nd November 2015 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Alves de Sousa | Vintage | 2015 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry, blackberry and loaded with fruit in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Immature but balanced and rather dry. Mulberry and dark berry in taste with a delicate and quite nice finish with lots of tannin but still easy to drink and like. | ||
| Last tasted | 5th November 2018 | Rating this date | Impressive |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Alves de Sousa | Vintage | 2017 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
| Bouquet | Dark mature fruit, dark cherry and other dark berries and mint in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Hardly medium body. Balanced but a modern port in style with elegant and very soft tannins. Loaded with mature fruit and dark berries. Easy to drink already today with a quite elegant finish. | ||
| Last tasted | 26th November 2021 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | 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 | Alves de Sousa | Vintage | 2019 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, blackberry and mint in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Balanced but a modern port in style with elegant and very soft tannins. Dark berries and mint in the taste. | ||
| Last tasted | 26th November 2021 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |