The La Rosa Vineyards

"The vineyards of La Rosa span along the banks of the River Douro and climb up to an altitude of 400 metres."

There are eleven separate vineyards at La Rosa some are situated along the banks of the River Douro while others are at an elevation of around 400 metres.

THE LOWER QUINTA

VAL GRANDE

Variety: Touriga Nacional (2.5 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: 2770

Date Planted: 2001

Spacing: 2.6m x 1 m

Aspect: North and South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

Val Grande was originally part of Quinta Amarela which was bought in 1907 by Albert Feureerd, Sophia's great grandfather.  The vineyard is located just past Amarela above the Douro River.

 

DONA SOFIA

Variety : Touriga Nacional (0.36 ha), Souzao (0.74ha) mixed vines (0.1ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Touriga Nacional 2417, Souzao 2568

Date Planted: 2004 (mixed vines 1933)

Spacing: 2.6m x 1m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

This vineyard is named after Sophia Bergqvist's great, great grandmother who was also called Sophia. It is one of La Rosa's oldest vineyards, although it has been redeveloped in recent years, and is situated near the main house of Quinta de La Rosa just above the river.

 

VAL DE INFERNO

Variety : Touriga Nacional (3 ha), Sousao (1 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Touriga Nacional 4023, Sousao 2080

Date Planted: 2006

Spacing: 1.5m x 0.8 m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Old high walled terraces

Situated to the west of Quinta de la Rosa, along the banks of the river Douro, Val de Inferno is the oldest vineyard at Quinta de La Rosa. It was built just before the First World War by Sophia Bergqvist's great grandfather, Albert Feuerheerd, and boasts some of the highest dry stone terraced walls in the Douro, some towering up to 5 metres high. These high walled terraces have been classified as a World Heritage Site.

Somewhat of a pioneer, Albert, decided to build ramps, instead of steps, to connect each terrace which allowed mules to plough the entire vineyard. Ironically, today, Val de Inferno is entirely cultivated by hand as the terraces are unsuitable for tractors making it our most labour intensive vineyard.

Interestingly, in 1999, all the grapes from Val de Inferno were used to make the La Rosa 1999 Vintage Port. This is the only time that Val de Inferno has been released as a single quinta vintage.

 

VINHA GRANDE NOVA

Variety : Touriga Nacional (3.5 ha), Touriga Franca (1.5 ha), Tinta Cao (1 ha) mix of Touriga Franca and Tinta Cao (1 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Touriga Nacional 2165, Touriga Franca 5640, Tinta Cao and Tinta Franca 4770, Tinta Cao 4910

Date Planted: 1998

Spacing: 2.6m x 1m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

 

VINHA GRANDE VELHA

Variety: Mixed vines planted 1930 (1.02 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Mixed vines 657

Date Planted: 1930

Spacing: 2.6m x 1m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

Vinha Grande Nova and Vinha Grande Velha are located above the road near to the main house, Quinta de La Rosa.

 

THE UPPER QUINTA

The following vineyards are all located a fair distance from the main property along a vineyard track which climbs steeply for a few kilometres. The first couple of vineyards that are reached are Lameira do Rego and Dona Clara which are on the left, facing north-west.

LAMEIRA DO REGO, DONA CLARA & CEREJINHA

The first two vineyards were bought by Tim Bergqvist in 1973. Dona Clara was planted in memory of Tim Bergqvist's mother, Claire, who lived most of her adult life at La Rosa. Claire must have been one of the first non-Portuguese to live in the Douro Valley which, in the mid-nineteenth century, was a very remote and isolated place to make as your home.  Further up right at the top is Ceriejinha.  

All these vineyards are in the process of being replanted.  We started in 2018 from the top down and managed to resculpture and replant half the 10 hectare plot.  The area is very steep so the challenge has been to build one row of vine patamares that minimise erosion and hug the contours of the hill.  We have planted white varieties at the top where Cerejinha was including Alvarinho (now approved as a Douro variety).

 

Aspect: North-West

 

LAMELAS 

Variety: Touriga Nacional (4.49 ha), Touriga Franca (4.21 ha), Tinta Roriz (6.07 ha) Tinta Barroca (2.12 ha), mixed vines (0.2 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Touriga Nacional 2086, Touriga Franca 2872, Tinta Roriz 1781, Tinta Barroca 4733, Mixed vines 3700

Date Planted: 1985 (mixed vines 1930)

Spacing: 2.6m x 1m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

Taking advantage of low cost loans from the World Bank, Tim Bergqvist purchased Quinta das Lamelas and its land in 1985, making La Rosa a respectable 55 hectare property. The Lamelas vineyard is one of our highest vineyards and has magnificent views of the Douro Valley.

Here we planted vines using the then newly developed Patamare system instead of the traditional terraced vineyards. Today, the Lamelas vineyard has come into its maturity. With its excellent southerly aspect, the vines produce beautifully ripe grapes, with full rich flavours and excellent structure, which are used for the La Rosa Red Wines. 

 

DONA SARAH

Variety : Touriga Nacional (3.37 ha), Souzao (1.26 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: Touriga Nacional 3106, Souzao 1960

Date Planted: 2004 (mixed vines 1933)

Spacing: 2.6m x 1m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Patamares

 

FAUSTO

Variety : Mixed Vines (0.31 ha)

Average Yield in kg/ha: 1903

Date Planted: 1930

Spacing: 1.5m x 0.8m

Aspect: South

Type of Terracing: Old walled terraces

Dona Sarah and Fausto were bought in 1985 and were part of the land that came together with the purchase of Quinta Lamelas. The majority of Dona Sarah was developed from scrub land in 2004 and is named after Philip Bergqvist's first wife, Sarah. The vineyard produces excellent Souzao grapes which give our Vintage Ports a vibrant deep purple colour.