It is one of the oldest, largest and most charming properties in the Douro valley. It overlooks the river, and its slopes and houses, including the mythical manor, are true postcards of the region and illustrate the EN222, considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Quinta dos Frades, however, is much more than that. Home to one of the region’s largest estates with the centuries-old Old Vineyard, it is the greatest exponent of the quality and identity of Douro winemaking, and produces wines that are the genuine expression of the traditional Douro field blends, among which more than 20 varieties can be identified.

The history of Quinta dos Frades is intertwined with the foundation of the parish of Folgosa do Douro itself. That is why it was once called Quinta da Folgosa. That is also why, currently, the locals still refer to it as the “university of the great men of Folgosa”. The property has a history of nearly eight centuries and its origins date back to the 13^th century, when it was donated to the friars of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Salzedas, in 1256. Managed by the friars for centuries, it was bought by Jerónimo de Almeida Brandão e Souza, the first Baron of Folgosa, in a public auction, in 1841.

One hundred years later, in 1941, Commendator Delfim Ferreira, an important industrialist and promoter of the Portuguese economy in the 20^th century, acquired the property and started a rehabilitation process, modernising both the production and the leisure infrastructure. The method of planting vines on a free slope was introduced, thus replacing the traditional meagre vineyards on walled terraces.

Included in the Douro Demarcated Area, defined between 1757 and 1761, and visible through a Pombaline landmark on the property, the quality of the wine was early recognised and for decades it was exclusively produced for other brands. In 2008, the enterprising fourth generation of the Delfim Ferreira family decided to capitalise on the potential of the vineyards, ushering in a new era and producing the first table wine under the “Quinta dos Frades” label. The recognition gained led to the creation of new own-brand wines, including special editions dedicated to Commendator Delfim Ferreira and his wife Dona Sylvia, and a remarkable Vintage Port.  

The wines are produced from the over one hundred-year-old old vineyards, planted at an altitude of 50 to 250 metres, with new vineyards that are already forty years old. Touriga Franca stands out in the old vineyards as the Douro’s great grape variety, fit for table wines and fortified wines alike. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Branca, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Carvalha, Donzelinho and Rabigato are only a few among the various dominant varieties at Quinta dos Frades. The vineyards’ exposure to East and West is essential to obtain balance in the different agricultural years, thus seasoning the produced wines with a variety of aromas, flavours and structure that make Quinta dos Frades truly one of a kind.