A Companhia Geral de Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro : (1756-1978)

Abstract

In 1756, within the context of Pombal’s politics of economic development and commercial reorganization of the country, of mercantilist inspiration, based on the formation of several monopolist and privileged companies, the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro was established with the aim to guarantee and promote, jointly, the production and commercialisation of the Alto Douro wines and to limit the prevailing and even the control of this economic activity by the British. Of all of them it was that one that raised the most popular living resistance and that suffered more attacks by the British traders. It was the one that obtained more useful and lasting results, developing a continuous and highly effective action in the defence of the quality of the Port Wine. It was also the one revealing a larger duration, either as a majestic company (1756-1834), or as a mere commercial society (1834-1978), although temporarily carrying out public functions (1838-1852), in such a way that, under this category, carried on, until today, its denomination and commercial mark. It is of this Company that, for the first time, a general division into periods of its History and a brief characterization of its different epochs is presented.