Founded in 1751, when the Port trade was dominated by British shippers, Ferreira is the oldest Portuguese Port house and remains the leader in the domestic market. It was under the leadership of Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, one of the formidable widows of the world of wine, that the company became the force it is today. Luís Sottomayor is at the winemaking helm and uses grapes from prime Douro vineyard sites and Ferreira's flagship ‘Quinta do Porto' to produce Ports characterised by an exuberant ripeness, exceptional concentration, weight and structure, yet wonderful balance.

The Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato, Códega and Arinto grapes are sourced from prime vineyard sites in the Cima Corgo and
Baixo Corgo sub-regions. The Douro is the largest mountainous vineyard area on earth and vines are planted on steep terraces sloping down to the Douro river, many of which are supported by ancient, UNESCO-world-heritage-protected dry stone walls. Given the steep gradients and the inaccessibility for machinery, vineyard operations and harvesting are carried out by hand. The poor quality of the soil means that the vines produce low yields- on average
1.5kg of grapes per vine- of intensely concentrated fruit, packed with flavour. The grapes destined for the Dóna Antónia Reserva Branco are late harvested, further concentrating the intense flavours.

Upon arrival at the Quinta do Sairrão winery, the late harvested grapes were destemmed and gently crushed. The skins were left in
contact with the must throughout the fermentation, with multiple pump overs. This resulted in an intensely aromatic port with a rich
texture on the palate. The ferment was closely monitored to determine the ideal moment to halt the fermentation by fortifying with grape spirit, leaving some of the grapes' natural sugars. The wines remained in the Douro until the spring following the harvest when they were transported downstream to the historic Ferreira cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing in oak casks. The ‘Dona Antónia' Reserva White Port is a carefully crafted blend of wines between four to nine years of age, with an average age of seven years.

Pairs beautifully with a creamy cheese like Brie or a nutty Manchego, enhancing its rich, honeyed notes. When it comes to dessert, a classic crème brûlée or an almond cake brings out its toffee and nutty depth. If you're after a simple snack pairing, salted caramel popcorn creates a delicious balance of sweet and salty flavours.

90 Points - 'For the love of Port'