For ten years, between 1994 and 2004, I was the barrister for the main shareholders of Real Companhia Velha, also known as Royal Oporto, a wine corporation established way back in 1756; as old as the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, the Port wines', Portugal. The Court case was of commercial nature, it involved several million euros and the other side was Portugal's administration. We won, so I obviously keep found memories of that dispute, probably the biggest in Portugal Courts to date. And certainly a chunk of ten years of my life...
Today Real Companhia Velha, still managed by the Silva Reis family, chaired by my good friend Pedro Silva Reis, the son of the now deceased great man Manuel Silva Reis, is the biggest producer of Port wine grapes, from their huge estates up in the Douro Valley, the world home for the genuine Port.
In preparation for Christmas time, like in a heat your engines mood/mode, I opened a beautiful bottle of highly commendable red Royal Oporto, Tawny Port, 10 Years. Ten years, you see...
Luis Miguel Novais
