BigHammerWines.com

Before Casa Ferreirinha, the Douro was known almost exclusively for Port. In 1952, that changed forever. Fernando Nicolau de Almeida set out to prove that the region could produce world-class still wines, and in doing so sparked a quality revolution that reshaped the Douro’s future.

The estate takes its name from Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, the formidable matriarch behind Port House Ferreira in the late 1800s, whose legacy of rigor, independence, and vision still defines the house. Today, Casa Ferreirinha is part of Sogrape, yet remains singular in purpose, farming 520 hectares across all three Douro subregions. Its most important wines are sourced exclusively from the Douro Superior, with Quinta da Leda, near the Spanish border, serving as the estate’s flagship vineyard.

That philosophy is carried forward by Luís Sottomayor, a direct protégé of Nicolau de Almeida. His approach tempers the Douro’s natural power, favoring freshness, structure, and depth over excess. Most importantly, Sottomayor is uncompromising when it comes to the Reserva Especial, a wine produced only in outstanding years and declared with conviction rather than frequency.

2014 Reserva Especial is built from the finest parcels of Quinta da Leda and select high-altitude vineyards in the surrounding area, where precision viticulture defines every decision. Situated in the far eastern reaches of the Douro Superior, just 12 kilometers from the Spanish border, the vineyards roll across the south bank of the Douro River. Schist soils, fractured vertically, allow vine roots to plunge deep in search of water and nutrients, sustaining balance through the region’s intense summers.

Production is deliberately restrained. This vintage comprises just over 16,000 bottles, marking only the 18th release of this iconic cuvée. This is a wine released by merit, not routine.

2014 vintage delivered exactly the conditions required for greatness, yielding wines of clarity, structure, and exceptional aging potential. The final blend of 42% Touriga Franca, 34% Touriga Nacional, 13% Tinta Roriz, and 11% Tinto Cão brings together aromatic lift, depth, and a firm backbone in precise balance.

Dark fruit anchors the profile, layered with pepper, cedar, and tobacco, followed by menthol tones and a slate-driven mineral edge. The palate is powerful yet controlled, driven by firm, velvety tannins and vibrant acidity that carry the wine through a long, composed finish.

ABV: 14.5%

• 3 bottles of 2014 Casa Ferreirinha Douro Tinto Reserva Especial
  

Dark fruit with black cherries, blackcurrants, mineral, and slate undertones. Medium to full body. Racy fine tannins. It’s chewy and driven. This is an undeclared Barca Velha. Superb Douro red. Latour of the Douro. A blend of 42% touriga franca, 34% touriga nacional, 13% tinta roriz, and 11% tinto cao. Drink after 2025. ~ 98 James Suckling

A lovely notion of camomile and dried hay flowers appears even before the caramelised red fruit. Melted vanilla laces dark black fruit. Brooding and overwhelming, firm and structured with some heat, but very well done. Mouthwatering and fresh. ~ 93 Decanter

Substitutions of featured wines may be made at BHW's discretion.