Ultimately the property passed into the hands of António’s redoubtable daughter in law, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira.  She oversaw the building of the grand estate house and chapel, and thereafter frequently used Quinta do Vesuvio as her principal residence.  It was Dona Antónia who bottled and sold the Vesuvio wines under their own name – which was an extraordinary practice in the 19^th century – and brought the quinta and its wines into renown.  She faced the devastation of phylloxera in the 1870’s, shifting to production of olives, almonds and oranges when the grape crops failed, and kept her labour force further employed with the construction of a 16 km stone wall to encircle the property.  As phylloxera came under control, vineyards were replanted with grafted vines, and wine production resumed.  

In 1989 the Symington family acquired the property with the intention to restore the quinta and its wines to their former glory.  The house and adega were restored and a massive planting program undertaken which extended the area under vine to 136 hectares, as well as revitalising and re-planting selected existing vineyards.  The decision was made to retain the tradition of treading by foot, and to make only Vintage Port.

Quinta do Vesuvio is located in the Douro Superior, on the south bank of the river.  Laid out over seven hills and seven valleys, the quinta rises from 130 metres at the river front to 530 metres.  The extraordinary variety of terrain and microclimate in the Quinta allows us to produce a superb Vintage Port most years.

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Ports are very concentrated, powerful wines, showing ripe fruit flavours such as blueberry and blackcurrant.