From consulting oenologist to sole owner: the story of DFJ Vinhos
José Neiva Correia, born in 1949, grew up on the Quinta de Porto Franco — a winery in the municipality of Alenquer, which historians say is one of the oldest in the region and whose origins even predate the founding of Portugal as a nation. Both sides of his family had been rooted in viticulture for generations, which shaped his path as an oenologist from the beginning. He has been making wine since the 1974 harvest, initially as a sought-after consultant for various houses in Portugal. One of his clients was D&F Wine Shippers, then the largest importer of Portuguese wines in Great Britain. In 1998, the three men decided to form a partnership: the D stood for Dino Ventura, the F for Fausto Ferraz — and José Neiva Correia added the J. Thus, DFJ Vinhos was born. When one of the partners passed away in 2005, Neiva Correia took over all shares and has led the company as sole owner ever since.
250 hectares, two wineries, certified integrated production
DFJ Vinhos today manages 250 hectares of its own vineyards, 200 hectares of which are under certified, integrated production and without irrigation. The heart of the operation remains the Quinta de Porto Franco in the Alenquer area, about 60 kilometers north of Lisbon and 20 kilometers from the Atlantic — hilly landscape, mixed soils, Atlantic-influenced microclimates. Winemaking is distributed across two cellar centers; the storage and processing volume is three million liters. Large-scale plots are harvested mechanically to keep the time between harvest and processing under 30 minutes. For the house's top wines — including the Francos and Consensus lines — the harvest is done by hand, with careful grape selection. Top white wines are fermented in barriques. Since 2009, DFJ has held the quality certification according to the BRC standard at the highest rating level (Grade AA), which is particularly relevant for international export.
As an oenologist, Neiva Correia has pioneered the cultivation of new grape varieties in Portugal over decades. The award as "Portugal's Mister Wine 2013" by Revista de Vinhos reflects his role in the modernization process of Portuguese viticulture.
More than a hundred wines, one clear promise: drinking pleasure without detours
The DFJ Vinhos range includes over 30 brands and more than a hundred different wines, which come almost exclusively from the Lisboa wine region — from fresh Atlantic white wines to full-bodied, varietal-typical reds. Among them is the Portada line, which stands for accessibility and drinking pleasure: the Portada Tinto Medium Sweet with its soft, fruit-driven structure as well as the Winemaker's Selection with more depth and cellar work. The house's standard is consistent: consistent quality across all price ranges, without any barrier to entry. With 99% export share and presence in more than 50 countries — including the USA, Great Britain, Nordics, Brazil, and Australia — DFJ is one of the most represented Portuguese producers in international trade. DFJ wines have landed in the Top 100 Best Buy lists of Wine Enthusiast multiple times, reaching number one in 2012. This is no coincidence, but the result of a house that consistently keeps quality and price in balance.
