(6) Casa Ferreinha was acquired by Sogrape Vinhos in 1987.
(a) The Galician and Portuguese surname Ferreira signified "someone who lived by a forge or iron workings, from Latin ferraria ‘forge’, ‘iron working.’"
(b) History of Ferreira Cellars.
(i) an overview
eng.sograpevinhos.com/visitas/cave/6
full text:
"Built by a family of winemakers from the Douro, in 1751, Ferreira possessed a rich tradition and a prominent role in the history of Porto Wine.
"Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira contributed significantly to the consolidation of the brand. A legendary woman with a unique personality, who became a myth and a symbol of strength, facing the adversities of nineteenth-century Douro.
"Ferreira Cellars invite you to discover a brand over 250 years old, a symbol of the highest quality that encapsulates Portugal's heart and soul.
* To the right of the text is "Brands[:] Porto Ferreira[:] Ferreira is the only great Porto Wine house to have remained in Portuguese hands since its foundation. Founded in 1751, it became particularly prominent under the leadership of Dona Antónia…" Click it and you reach the (ii) below.
(ii) in detail
eng.sograpevinhos.com/marcas/Porto%20Ferreira
full text:
"Since 1751, the Ferreira name has always been synonymous with high-quality Portuguese wine. The brand's history is intertwined with the history of the evolution of the Douro Region (demarcated in 1756) and its Porto and table wines (Douro DOC).
"The Ferreira family patriarch - who already owned vineyards that subsequently became a part of the Douro Specified Region - started his business in the mid eighteenth century. However, the company's foundations stem from the actions of his grandsons, José Bernardo and António Bernardo in the early nineteenth century, when they added considerably to the land they had inherited.
The marriage between their offspring, cousins António Bernardo II and Antónia Adelaide, would, in the next generation, consolidate a unique heritage and indelibly mark Ferreira's future.
"Twice widowed, Dona Antónia did not merely manage an inheritance. She took over the business at 33, strengthening and expanding it thanks to her entrepreneurial spirit and charisma. She is still remembered in Portugal for her sound business ethics and as an example of good practice. Endowed with exceptional energy and a rare commercial talent, she gave great impetus to wine-growing in Douro and was well-known for her acts of social welfare in the region. Her intelligence and kindness earned her the warm admiration of her contemporaries, who affectionately nicknamed her 'Ferreirinha' (little Ferreira).
"After she died, the business became a limited company and began a new phase of adjusting and expanding to meet the needs of the times. Maintaining its core values - rooted in quality with its unique collection of estates in the Douro, the company has always supported the best œnological methods to produce excellent wines under one strong brand. These values have carried Ferreira into the 21st century and were instrumental in creating wines such as the legendary Barca Velha in the 1950's.
"Acquiring Ferreira in 1987 allowed Sogrape Vinhos to immediately assume leadership of the Portuguese Porto wine market. In addition this acquisition enhanced its portfolio with some of the most prestigious Douro table wine brands and enriched its assets with a collection of the most important properties of the Douro Specified Region, such as the Leda, Porto and Caedo estates. Sogrape Vinhos was then able to preserve and enhance Ferreira's material, historic and cultural heritage: the bond between production and trade, the understanding of tradition in order to modernise, the emphasis on quality as the mainstay of the brand's prestige.
"Today, more than 250 years later, Ferreira is 'the Portuguese brand,' the benchmark in excellent quality Porto and Douro wines, the symbol of a country and a culture it proudly honours.
(c) Sogrape is a company name, and has no meaning.
History; Discover the history of Sograve Vinhos over the years. Sogrape Vinhos, undated
eng.sograpevinhos.com/sogrape/historia
(Sogrape Vinhos was born of the will and courage of a group of friends. In the difficult economic and political environment of 1942, they decided to stake everything on the visionary talents of one man. * * * This vision belonged to Fernando van Zeller Guedes [whom Wikipedia identifies as the founder]")
* neutral powers during World War II
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_powers_during_World_War_II
("During World War II, the neutral powers took no official side, hoping to avoid attack. However, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland all helped the Allied Powers by supplying "voluntary" brigades to the United Kingdom, while Spain avoided the Allies in favor of the Axis. The Irish government generally favoured the Allied side")
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