Alchemy
A rare red, extracted from vines that have been growing in a small plot on a slope overlooking the Rio Torto (one of the Douro’s tributaries) for over a hundred years. Being so old and resilient, they only provide around 400 grams of fruit per vine, which produces just 4,000 bottles.
A unique wine because it stems from a field blend of over 30 grape varieties, which was common practice in centuries past.
A rare red because it is only declared in exceptional years and available when all three great-great-great-grandsons agree that Adelaide is ready for the world’s palates.

“The old vines are almost miraculous. They survive for over a hundred years in poor soils, withstanding a harsh climate. Each plot is unique, each section different from the other. There are up to 40 different grape varieties, which is why they have such different personalities: some are worthless, others surprising, others are excellent, authentic and unique.”
João Ferreira Álvares Ribeiro
‘This rare red is very concentrated, complex, elegant and fresh with silky tannins, which is to be expected from a grand vin from the Douro. Good to drink for decades.’
Francisco Olazabal




“Centuries of work by different generations of Ferreiras in the Douro have created a body of wisdom and knowledge about vines and wines that obliges us to make a wine as perfect as the valley’s excellent conditions allow.” João Ferreira Álvares Ribeiro

The wine sits in Allier French oak barrels for 20 months. And then it waits.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate had this to say about the first vintage (2005): “The new Adelaide is very fine and a future superstar bottling”









CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
The year 2016 was characterised by medium/high rainfall. Although it rained a lot throughout the year, the summer was quite hot and dry, but September was particularly cool, which allowed a very balanced maturing of the grapes. The grapes were picked under perfect conditions on 20th September, a week after some rainfall that helped finalise maturing.
VINEYARD
ADELAIDE comes from a plot of very old vines (some over a hundred years old), with a blend of over 30 different varieties, with the following predominating: Touriga Franca, Rufete, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barrroca, Tinta Nascida, Malvasia Preta, Mourisco, Bastardo, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Bairrada, Tinta da Barca, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Carvalha, Moscatel de Hamburgo, Tinta Pomar, Piriquita, Moreto, Sultanina, S. Saúl, Casculho and Preto Martinho.
The soil is predominantly schistose. The production of these vines, which have a planting density of 7,000 plants per hectare, averages 400 grams per plant, which is equivalent to 2,800 Kgs per hectare. These vineyards are among the vineyards with the lowest production per hectare worldwide.
VINIFICATION
The grapes, after a careful manual selection on the selection belt, were destemmed and fermented in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature at 24º and mechanical remounting by robot during 9 days.
AGEING
Agieng and malolactic fermentation took place in new 225 litre French oak barrels for 19 months.
Cooperages: 75% Taransaud and 25% Boutes
BOTTLING
14 August 2018
AROMA
Black and woody fruit with balsamic oak notes.
FLAVOUR
Full-bodied, firm, ripe with firm, satiny tannins. Mineral notes and a complex and persistent finish, very elegant and fresh.
AGEING POTENTIAL
20 to 30 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol:14,5%
pH:3,69
Total Acidity: 5,17 g/l tartaric acid
Volatile Acidity: <
0,6 g/l acetic acid
WINEMAKERS
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
TOTAL PRODUCTION
2220 bottles 75 cl
209 bottles 150cl
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
2015 was a year characterized by being of average/low rainfall. The summer was quite pleasant, without heat waves, and September was particularly cool, that allowed for a very balanced maturation of the grapes. The harvesting of this plot took place in perfect climatic conditions on the 8th of September, before the big showers that occurred on September 14th and 15th.
VINEYARD
Adelaide comes from a parcel of very old vineyards (some more than one hundred years old) where a blend of more than 30 different indigenous grape varieties are planted, with predominance of the following: Touriga Franca, Rufete, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barrroca, Tinta Nascida, Malvasia Preta, Mourisco, Bastardo, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Bairrada, Tinta da Barca, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Carvalha, Moscatel de Hamburgo, Tinta Pomar, Piriquita, Moreto, Sultanina, S. Saúl, Casculho e Preto Martinho.
The soil is predominantly schist (black slate). These vines, planted in a density of 7,000 vines per hectare, yield on average 400g per plant, equivalent to 2,8 tons per hectare. This puts these vines amongst the lowest yielding per hectare in the world.
VINIFICATION
The grapes, after a careful manual selection on the sorting belt, were de-stemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 24ºC with mechanical remontage for 9 days.
AGEING
Ageing and malolactic fermentation took place in 225 litre new French Oak barrels for 20 months.
Cooperages: 75% Taransaud and 25% Seguin-Moreau
BOTTLING
4 Septembre 2017
AROMA
Very concentrated with balsamic notes of oak and black fruits.
FLAVOUR
Full-bodied, firm, ripe with satin tannins. Mineral notes and a complex and persistent finish, very elegant and fresh.
AGEING POTENTIAL
20 to 30 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol: 14,5%
pH: 3,71
Total Acidity: 5,1 g/l tartaric acid Volatile Acidity: <0,6 g/l acetic acid
WINEMAKERS
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
TOTAL PRODUCTION
4 200 bottles 75 cl, 200 bottles 150cl
Climatic Conditions
2014 vintage was characterized as one of high pluviosity with a warm Spring and mild Summer, contributing to a very balanced and early maturation of the grapes, with no hydric stress or heat waves to cause maturation halts. The harvesting of this plot took place in perfect climatic conditions on the 8th and 9th of September, before the heavy rain that occurred just a few days later.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE comes from a parcel of very old vineyards (some more than one hundred years old) where a blend of more than 30 different indigenous grape varieties are planted. The soil is predominantly schist (black slate). These vines, planted in a density of 7,000 vines per hectare, yield on average 400g per plant, equivalent to 2,8 tons per hectare. This puts these vines amongst the lowest yielding per hectare in the world.
In the harvest of 2014, the average production was 428 grams per plant, 7% above average. The grapes from these vineyards have unique and exceptional quality.The wine produced from these grapes is naturally very concentrated and complex.
Vinification
The grapes, after a careful manual selection on the sorting belt, were de-stemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 24ºC with mechanical remontage for 9 days.
Ageing
Ageing and malolactic fermentation took place in 225 litre new French Oak barrels for 20 months.
Cooperage: 100% Tarannsaud
Bottling
20 July 2016
Aroma
Very concentrated with balsamic notes of oak, fig, and black fruits
Flavour
Full-bodied, firm, ripe with satin tannins. Mineral notes and a complex and persistent finish, very elegant and fresh.
Ageing Potential
20 to 30 years in bottle
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol 14.5%, pH: 3.63, Total Acidity: 5.1 g/l tartaric acid, Volatile Acidity: 0.60 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Bottles
3700 bottles 75 cl, 200 bottles 150 cl
Varieties
Old vineyards: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Touriga Franca and others (more than 30 grape varieties mix-planted).
Vinification
The grapes from the old vineyards (over 100 years old) were vinified in stainless steel, temperature controlled, remontage vats, holding up to 3.000 kilos each. The fermentation lasted between 8 to 20 days.
Ageing
The wines from the old vineyards were then stored in stainless steel tanks for the duration of the malolactic fermentation and were racked to 225 litres new French Allier Oak barriques for 20 months.
Bottling
July 2012
Flavour
Very concentrated, with balsamic oak notes, fig and black plum aromas, tobacco.
Taste
Full bodied, firm, mature and silky tannins. Mineral notes and a very elegant, persistent and complex finish.
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol 14,5%, pH: 3,58, Total Acidity : 5,4 g/dm3
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Bottles
4700 bottles 75 cl, 190 bottles 150 cl
Climatic Conditions
2011 was a year of average rainfall and temperature. The summer was extremely hot, but there was always some water in the ground due to the rain that fell by mid-August and beginning of September. Despite the high temperatures in the summer and the year’s plentiful production, the grapes were of excellent quality and beautifully balanced, with no sign of water stress. The harvest of the Adelaide vines took place under perfect weather conditions, on the 13th of September.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE is made from grapes of a plot of very old vines (some over 100 years old), with a mix of more than 30 different native varieties.
The soil is predominantly schist.
With a plantation density of 7,000 plants per hectare, these vineyards produce an average of 400 grams per plant, or 2,800 kg per hectare.
Their yield per hectare is therefore one of the lowest in the world.
The average yield in the 2011 harvest was 498 grams per plant, which is 24.5% higher than average. These vines produce grapes of exceptional and unique quality, naturally resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine.
Vinification
After careful manual selection in the sorting table, the grapes were destemmed and fermented for 9 days in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature (24º), undergoing mechanic pigeage with the aid of a robot.
Ageing
The wine aged and underwent malolactic fermentation in 225-litre French oak vats (85% of which were new and the remaining were used) for 18 months.
Coopers
100% Taransaud
Bottling
19 July 2013
Tasting Notes
Very complex on the nose with red fruit, black fruit and wild flower aromas; Full-bodied on the mouth with notes of wild fruits, unmistakeable but high-quality tannins. Very persistent on the palate, complex and fresh.
Ageing potential
20 to 30 years
TechNICAL DATA
Alcohol content: 14.5%; pH: 3.58 ; Total acidity: 5.0 g/l tartaric acid ; Volatile acidity: 0.60 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Total production
4433 75-cl bottles
200 150-cl bottles
Climatic Conditions
The summer of 2009 was very hot and dry. However, the very old vines, because of their deeper roots, showed little water stress compared with the younger vines. The harvest of the Adelaide vines took place quite early this year, on the 8th of September.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE is made from grapes of a plot of very old vines (some over 100 years old), with a mix of more than 30 different native varieties.
The soil is predominantly schist.
With a plantation density of 7,000 plants per hectare, these vineyards produce an average of 400 grams per plant, or 2,800 kg per hectare.
Their yield per hectare is therefore one of the lowest in the world.
The average yield in the 2009 harvest was 274 grams per plant, which is 31% lower than average. These vines produce grapes of exceptional and unique quality, naturally resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine.
Vinification
After careful manual selection in the sorting table, the grapes were destemmed and fermented for 12 days in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature (24º), undergoing mechanic pigeage with the aid of a robot.
Ageing
The wine aged and underwent malolactic fermentation in new 225-litre French oak vats for 19 months.
Coopers
100% Taransaud
Bottling
22 June 2011
Tasting Notes
Very concentrated on the nose, with balsamic, fig and black plum notes. Full-bodied on the mouth, with a gourmand taste of ripe black fruits and a complex and persistent finish
Ageing potential
20 to 25 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol content: 15.0% ; pH: 3.76; Total acidity: 5.75 g/l tartaric acid; Volatile acidity: 0.60 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Total production
2,930 75-cl bottles
122 150-cl bottles
Climatic Conditions
2008 was on the whole a cool year but a year of scarce rainfall. September was very mild, and the 30mm of rain that fell at the beginning of the month allowed for a very balanced, though late, ripening of the grapes. The harvest of the Adelaide vines took place in perfect weather conditions on the 25th of September.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE is made from grapes of a plot of very old vines (some over 100 years old), with a mix of more than 30 different native varieties.
The soil is predominantly schist.
With a plantation density of 7,000 plants per hectare, these vineyards produce an average of 400 grams per plant, or 2,800 kg per hectare.
Their yield per hectare is therefore one of the lowest in the world.
The average yield in the 2008 harvest was 274 grams per plant, which is 31% lower than average. These vines produce grapes of exceptional and unique quality, naturally resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine.
Vinification
After careful manual selection in the sorting table, the grapes were destemmed and fermented for 9 days in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature (24º), undergoing mechanic pigeage with the aid of a robot.
Ageing
The wine aged and underwent malolactic fermentation in new 225-litre French oak vats for 20 months.
Coopers
100% Taransaud
Bottling
10 September 2010
Tasting Notes
Very flowery on the nose, with balsamic and mineral notes; On the month it is very fresh, with intense tannins, mineral notes and a very elegant and complex finish.
Ageing potential
20 to 30 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol content: 14.5; pH: 3.67; Total acidity: 4.9 g/l tartaric acid; Volatile acidity: 0.61 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Total production
2,900 75-cl bottles
Climatic Conditions
2017 was a year of heavy rainfall, with a warm Spring and a rather mild summer. These weather conditions allowed for a very balanced and early ripening of the grapes, as the soil suffered from no water stress and there were no heat waves to cause ripening interruptions. The harvest of the Adelaide vines took place in perfect weather conditions on the 8th and 9th of September, just before the downpours that occurred just a few days later.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE is made from grapes of a plot of very old vines (some over 100 years old), with a mix of more than 30 different native varieties.
The soil is predominantly schist.
With a plantation density of 7,000 plants per hectare, these vineyards produce an average of 400 grams per plant, or 2,800 kg per hectare.
Their yield per hectare is therefore one of the lowest in the world.
The average yield in the 2007 harvest was 420 grams per plant, which is 5% higher than average. These vines produce grapes of exceptional and unique quality, naturally resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine.
Vinification
After careful manual selection in the sorting table, the grapes were destemmed and fermented for 10 days in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature (24º), undergoing mechanic pigeage with the aid of a robot.
Ageing
The wine aged and underwent malolactic fermentation in new 225-litre French oak vats for 20 months.
Coopers
100% Taransaud
Bottling
23 July 2009
Tasting Notes
Very concentrated and complex on the nose, with notes of black fruits, blackberry and cassis; On the mouth the flavours are quite similar; ripe tannins and a long and round, though very fresh feel.
Ageing potential
20 to 30 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol content: 14.5; pH: 3.74; Total acidity: 4.84 g/l tartaric acid; Volatile acidity: 0.55 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Total production
2,000 75-cl bottles
Climatic Conditions
2005 was a very dry year, with mild temperatures during the summer. Despite the scarcity of rain, this was a year of average production; the grapes were very small, making this a year of heavy concentration. The harvest of the Adelaide vines took place in perfect weather conditions on the 20th of September.
Vineyard
ADELAIDE is made from grapes of a plot of very old vines (some over 100 years old), with a mix of more than 30 different native varieties.
The soil is predominantly schist.
With a plantation density of 7,000 plants per hectare, these vineyards produce an average of 400 grams per plant, or 2,800 kg per hectare.
Their yield per hectare is therefore one of the lowest in the world.
The average yield in the 2014 harvest was 435 grams per plant, which is 9% higher than average. These vines produce grapes of exceptional and unique quality, naturally resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine.
Vinification
After careful manual selection in the sorting table, the grapes were destemmed and fermented for 10 days in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature (24º), undergoing mechanic pigeage with the aid of a robot.
Ageing
The wine aged and underwent malolactic fermentation in new 225-litre French oak vats for 20 months.
Coopers
100% Taransaud
Bottling
07 September 2007
Tasting Notes
Very intense on the nose, floral, balsamic and with black fruit notes. On the mouth it is full-bodied, with silky tannins, citric, mineral notes and a very elegant and fresh finish.
Ageing potential
20 to 30 years
TECHNICAL DATA
Alcohol content: 15.0; pH: 3.65; Total acidity: 5.1 g/l tartaric acid; Volatile acidity: 0.60 g/l acetic acid
Winemakers
Francisco Olazabal & Francisco Ferreira
Total production
2000 75-cl bottles