To mark these two events the Symington family has created a new Impact Fund with an initial pledge of €1m euros, which will primarily be used to support positive causes in the Douro and Greater Porto regions as well as the Alto Alentejo.

The fund’s focus areas are community wellbeing and health, environmental protection and conservation and cultural heritage and education.

The Impact Fund will have a 12-month funding cycle as well as an additional annual contribution from Symington Family Estates, with the objective of ensuring that the fund’s value increases in order to provide sustainable long-term support to key initiatives and partners.

“We have always sought to run our family business in a way that benefits people – be they our employees or the wider community,” said Rupert Symington, CEO, Symington Family Estates.

“We are also committed to protecting the beautiful natural environments where we produce our wines. We have consistently reinvested in the Douro region and have a long history of supporting social initiatives in the areas where we work.

“The Symington Impact Fund is a way of formalising this commitment and ensuring we support projects which are most aligned with our values and where we can have the maximum positive impact.”