Porto Barrel Polka

Does the word “polka” evoke images of fast-moving people swirling in coordinated motion? If so, you have a good handle on what it’s like to work at Bouchard Cooperages and Quinta do Tedo, two family-owned businesses that combine generations-old family winemaking skills with a developing legacy of distributing the barrels in which to age the product.

Owned by the Bouchard family, headed up by Vincent and his wife, Kay, Quinta do Tedo produces fine Porto wine from their estate on the banks of the Douro River in northern Portugal. The heavy lifting part of that business takes up several months of the year and involves growing, harvesting and processing the grapes that yield one of that country’s most famous products. For the rest of the year, the Bouchard family heads off to Napa, Calif., where Vincent focuses his attention on supervising sales of highly sought-after French oak wine barrels that find their ways into vineyards around the world.

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About the Author(s)

Scott Chase

Scott Chase joined Family Business 20 years ago and is a frequent contributor to the magazine.


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