Quinta de la Rosa partners with Thorman Hunt for UK distribution

By James Bayley

Published: 08 July, 2024

The distribution of Quinta de la Rosa, the single quinta winery on the banks of the Douro in Portugal, is being transferred to Thorman Hunt from 1 August 2024. Sophia Bergqvist, proprietor of Quinta de la Rosa, and her son, Kit Weaver, have expressed their gratitude to outgoing distributor Bibendum for its efforts in the market in recent years.

Quinta de la Rosa has an established presence in restaurants and wine merchants worldwide, known for its premium wines and ports. The Bergqvist family has been involved in the port trade since 1815 and purchased Quinta de la Rosa as a christening present for Sophia Bergqvist’s grandmother, Claire, in 1906. Besides being a port producer, the estate was a pioneer in producing Douro red wines in the 1990s, significantly raising the region's profile. Winemaker Jorge Moreira has been with Quinta de la Rosa since 2002, solidifying its reputation as one of the country’s leading wineries.

Meanwhile, Thorman Hunt, a family-owned business since 1978, sources fine and artisanal wines based on longstanding relationships, often spanning generations. The portfolio includes many iconic, family-owned producers such as Vincent Paris, Vieux Télégraphe, Christian Moreau, Michel Niellon, Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Le Soula, Argiano, Harlan Estate, Eisele Vineyard and Ceritas.

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Charlie Hunt, director at Thorman Hunt, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are very excited to announce our partnership with Quinta de la Rosa and to be working with Sophia and Kit. We've been hugely impressed by the quality of the wines and ports. It is wonderful to welcome them to our portfolio of exceptional family-owned growers. We very much look forward to beginning our Portuguese journey – a first for Thorman Hunt. The addition of Quinta de la Rosa is perfectly complementary to our range.”

Bergqvist added: “We are delighted at the prospect of working with Thorman Hunt as our exclusive distributor in the UK. Their extraordinary portfolio speaks for itself and to join the ranks as their first Douro producer is an incredible honour. Jeremy and his team are extremely well respected within the trade and have a wealth of experience in both the on-trade and independent retail space, so we couldn’t be more thrilled.

“Unsurprisingly, we share a remarkable amount in common as we both place paramount importance on delivering quality and good customer service, which we feel is the bare minimum to succeed in an increasingly competitive market. What is more, we are both family-owned companies who are excited about the future with the next generation having entered their respective businesses. On our side, my son, Kit Weaver, joined in 2019 and is heading up the UK market.”

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