Offley

William Offley founded the eponymous wine merchant in London in 1737 and soon began importing Port to the UK. By 1787, Offley was described as ’one of the most considerable English houses at Porto’.

The house became famous for its association with the entrepreneurial, charismatic and pioneering Joseph James Forrester. A scholar and an artist, Forrester was the first person to map the Douro Valley, did extensive research into viticulture, wrote several essays on the Port trade, and painted many of the Douro’s stunning landscapes. In recognition of his huge contribution to the Douro, he was granted the title Baron of Forrester by the King of Portugal in 1855. Tragically, he died in a boating accident on the River Douro in 1861.

Since Offley was acquired by Sogrape in 1996, it has undergone a quality renaissance, moving back up the ranks of Port producers. This quality is derived from careful sourcing of grapes from prime sites in the Cima Corgo, including the high-altitude Quinta do Sairrão, combined with the winemaking expertise of Luís Sottomayor.