Undoubtedly one of the world's greatest and most historic winemaking regions, Portugal's Douro is as storied as it steeped in its own lore, and whilst it is best known for its namesake Port wine (so named after the port city of Porto that resides at the mouth of the Douro River, opening into the Atlantic Ocean), that is inarguably just the tip of the iceberg.

Along this ancient valley, where the Romans first brought grapevines to in the 2nd BC, any Port lover - and there are many, with no small handful who've dedicated their lives to studying the region and its wines - worth their salt would surely single out Vintage Port (which as the name suggests carry the single year of its harvest) as most prized, only historically declared anywhere from 2 to 4 times a decade (and is thus only produced in exceptional years, and is not made annually as with most winemaking regions), representing only about 2% of all Port wines produced - it is rare, it is prestigious, it is sought over the world over. But in the Douro there lies something even rarer and more spectacular - where declarations for a vintage is highly anticipated and survives as a practice that bears testament to the historic nature of the region (with Champagne being the only other winemaking region that declares a vintage, or millesime) and demonstrates its absolute commitment to quality, there is one wine that has only been made 21 times in the 74 years since its inaugural debut. That is none other than Casa Ferreirinha's Barca-Velha.

 

 

Barca-Velha, a dry red wine cuvee (so named after a boat that was used to ferry workers across the Douro River; translated literally as "Old Boat") composed of local Douro varieties harvested from both higher and lower altitude vineyards for a balance of acidity and body, in fact holds such an important place in Portugal's wine history that any sommelier you meet will firstly, recite to you it's historic importance, and secondly, eagerly express their hope to taste it - it is after all a critical detail in the WSET Diploma's qualifying coursework that every accredited sommeliers would have had gone through. The reason for that is at its simplest being that Casa Ferreirinha was the first in over three centuries to properly and formally release a serious Douro dry red wine in a river of fortified's. Yet, the special cuvee is not made annually, and whilst following the region's practice of having a vintage be declared, the frequency at which Barca-Velha is declared is much, much fewer than the best Vintage Port's, and upon release, counts its outturn far, far smaller than any parcel of any other wine produced in the Douro.

To understand just how striking the emergence of a quality dry Douro red is, we need to first understand how it is that the region even first became synonymous with its iconic fortified wines. 

 

 

Up until the 17th Century, Portugal had already much like its neighbouring Old World regions produced dry wines thanks to the influence of the Romans. It's worth pointing out that Portugal is home to the most number of native grape varieties in any winegrowing region around the world, counting at least 250 indigenous varieties, with the most popular being Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (or Tempranillo), Touriga Barroca and Tinta Cao, amongst many others. And so wines were made from these vines that were planted on terraces (often bush blends amidst polycultures of other vegetables and fruits) along the steep shale soils along the valley slopes following the Douro River, where barrels of wines would then be sailed down towards the city of Porto - and hence the wines came to be known as "Port".

That said the reality of the time was that winemaking then was rough and much more unrefined, and whilst Portugal was already recognised for being a major wine region (with England being a substantial buyer), its wines paled in comparison to the French. Yet, continuous battles between England and France saw to it that France's goods, including its wines, was repeatedly embargoed (more prominently by Charles II who specifically banned the importing of French wines in 1678), which made Portuguese wines all the more appealing as a potential replacement. But if England was to rely on Portugal for its wines, changes had to be made - trading merchants (some say it was in fact the Cistercian monks in the Douro who first did it) would begin apparently tossing in a bucket of brandy to these barrels of wine so that not only could they withstand the voyage without spoilage, but that they would also produce an unctuous wine that was much sweeter, rounder and easygoing - this became what is known as "fortification", where still fermenting wines were halted midway through the process with the addition of higher proof liquor that would cease the yeast's activity, leaving behind residual sugars that were left unconverted to alcohol (which if they had been fermented all the way to dryness, would be dry wines)!

 

Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto, where you'll find the historic Port lodges holding ancient cellars of century-old Port wine.

 

These luscious, full-bodied wines became incredibly popular with the English, which cemented the region's default style of wines! The next three centuries would see the emergence of Port lodges (for a long time, Port wines had to be aged and sold from storehouses in Porto), the wine world's first geographical designation and regulatory protection of a region's winemaking practice (thanks to the iron-fisted Marques de Pombal), the consolidation of the Port trade to a handful of historic and highly regarded houses (known as "shippers"), and the creation of the earliest instance of premium cuvees known as Vintage Port that was made possible with the debut of a new bottle shape - the very ones used today, which are straight-sided and cylindrical with a longer neck as opposed to rounded mallets or globes up till that point - which allowed for bottle ageing as opposed to barrel ageing. In a 1773 Christie's auction catalog, the first ever mention of "Vintage Port" in it is often attributed for the region's now longstanding practice of making a "Declaration" whenever a Vintage Port is to be made. Now, of course this is but a very brief summary of some of the biggest events that took place in one of the world's most historic wine regions, not withstanding three centuries of booms and busts, but it does get us then to the 1900's, when Casa Ferreirinha would completely change the Port game.

 

Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, also known as Ferreirinha.

 

Casa Ferreirinha was formally born in 1952 with the house's re-introduction of and focus on dry and still wines in the Douro, and is so named after Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, who is often nicknamed Ferreirinha (to mean "little Ferreira lady"). Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira was a visionary in not just the Douro, but is largely considered to be a brave, entrepreneurial icon figure of Portugal. Dona Antonia was the third-generation to helm her family's A. A. Ferreira Port lodge (as maison's or house's are locally known), which was founded by her grandfather Bernardo Ferreira in 1751 and had thus long produced the region's style of fortified wines up till Ferreira herself took over in 1844 at just 33 years old.

 

The Ferreira Port Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia.

 

Dona Antonia stood out for having faced incredibly challenging conditions and in spite of which, had brought the family's name to great heights, having spent much time studying winemaking at a time when oenology as a field was still nascent, and in so doing, had not only developed the family's vineyards extensively, but had also built important storehouses, and is even often credited with helping the region recover from phylloxera in the 1860's when she had voyaged to England to bring back important information on fighting the vine plague, and had pioneered in the Douro the use of American rootstocks which could then be grafted upon for immunity, thereby significantly protecting local grape varieties from being extinguished, and would also pave the way for the region's economic recovery. Yet, beyond managing vineyards and improving winemaking, Dona Antonia is perhaps best known and beloved for her social initiatives, providing employment to many as well as building public infrastructure from roads to railways and hospitals to serve the people, even going as far as going against the government when there was a lack of social support. 

 

The incredible terrains of the Douro Superior.

 

Now of all of Dona Antonia's achievements, one stands most pertinent to the Casa Ferreirinha story. In the 1870's, as the regional council had sought to raise funds, the third-generation Ferreira was able to secure some 300 hectares of land in the Douro Superior (the furthest winegrowing area heading eastward along the Douro). Compared to the Baixo Corgo towards the west (and closest to Porto) and Cima Corgo that sits centrally between Baixa Corgo and Douro Superior, the climate in the Douro Superior is much warmer and drier with a continental climate, as well as having soils that are much more rugged and rocky, with also a high concentration of quartz and clay, which produces more concentrated, high quality fruit. As such, Dona Antonia would hold claim to being the first to plant vines in this part of the Douro, where historically the area was seen as unworkable and far too difficult to navigate. She would establish here a quinta that whilst costly and laborious, would serve as the birthplace of the legendary Barca-Velha, the Douro's first dry red in centuries.

 

 

Whilst during Dona Antonia's lifetime the fruit from these Douro Superior quinta were still very much used in contribution to the fortified Port wines of Ferreira, into the early 1950's, something very special must have been in the air because two historically important fortified houses on opposite sides of the world would converge on a singular defining idea - to make dry table wines. One was Australian icon Penfold's with its debut Grange, and the other was Portuguese hero Casa Ferreirinha's Barca-Velha. 

 

The creator of the Barca-Velha, Fernando Nicolau de Almeida.

 

At the Ferreira lodge, head winemaker Fernando Nicolau de Almeida, who had joined at just 16 years of age in 1929 having been almost born for the role given that his own father was the head winemaker before him and had spent much of Almeida's youth preparing him for his eventual ascension, had began exploring ways to reduce malic acid in his Vinho Verde wines in an attempt to develop new wines. Nevertheless Almeida had a hunch that the local Douro varieties that were otherwise primarily used for fortified Port winemaking could produce something unique instead. Almeida made several test samples which he then passed along to famed wine consultant Emile Peynaud, who in turn was so impressed with the Douro dry red sample that he quickly told Almeida to drop everything and focus solely on that!

The French Peynaud would encourage Almeida to visit several important still red wine producing regions so that he could better appreciate the process where it was till then uncommon in the Douro. Almeida would in the early 1950's spend time in France's Bordeaux and Burgundy, as well as in Spanish Rioja, before coming home fully ready for the challenge - and a challenge it most definitely was! Convinced of his goal of making a top quality dry red with local Douro varieties, Almeida knew that he would have to overcome a number of major problems, and that was already above and beyond the skepticism he faced regarding the idea. This was not for the faint of heart! Given that this was all tentative and experimental, he would thus have to work off on vineyards that would not hamper the Ferreira's fortified Port wine production. As such, Almeida would venture as distant as possible, which put him in the incredibly hot and dry Douro Superior where Dona Antonia had established the first quinta just decades prior. Not only was the area inaccessible, it was also not nearly as well equipped and had little in the way of labour that could assist in the winemaking. 

 

The Quinta da Leda that today underpins the Barca-Velha.

 

At the time, there was no electricity to the area, which posed an immediate first problem, given that the regions he had visited had fermented their wines in temperature controlled and cooled systems in order to preserve freshness. But Almeida was quick on his feet! He would head down to the canning factories in Matosinhos, Porto, all the way on the other end of the Douro, some 12 hours away, and have ice trucked over overnight to the Quinta do Vale Meao where he was working out of, with the ice then be stored in a self-made double-walled container fitted with makeshift sawdust insulation. This self-assembled rudimentary cooling system would then allow for the grape must to be passed through it and cooled down as it was pumped over, which in turn would allow fermentation to run for 10 days instead of the usual two (fermentation in the Douro Superior is typically faster given the ambient heat).

Additionally, Almeida knew that in order to produce a long lived yet robust red wine, he would need fruit that was imbued with higher acidity, and as such would combine fruit from the Quinta do Vale Meao (which was lower in the valley, and richer and riper) with the fruit from higher altitude vineyards where the soils were of granite, and the fruit had less sugar and higher acidity. By taking advantage of the steepness of the valley that allowed fruit to be grown at various altitudes, Almeida could paint with a wider palette in order to achieve balance. Beyond varying the altitude from which the fruit was cultivated, Almeida would also utilise a varietal blend of Tinta Roriz for body, Touriga Franca for structure, Touriga Nacional for aromatic complexity, with then a mix of other local varieties such as Tinta Cao and Sousao, which serve as seasoning. This again further expanded the range of dimensions that Almeida could work with, which when vinified together, would constitute a balanced cuvee that retained the multi-variate attributes of the different fruit components.

 

Arguably the rarest of wines to be produced.

 

A pivotal principle of Almeida's winemaking philosophy which adds to why the Barca-Velha remains so special, is the perspective of seeing the mix of fruits as a single whole, with each of the fruit varietal and origin as pieces of a jigsaw that are then fitted together and vinified as one. This remains starkly different from winemaking today where even within a single varietal, vineyards are divided into parcels which are then vinified separately to be later composed into the final cuvee.

This perfectly calibrated fruit and varietal blend would be harvested together at the same time and just as well be fermented altogether in an open-top Portuguese oak vats (not in the valley's usual stone lagares), so as to cool down the fruit and preserve its freshness, and upon a more lengthy fermentation, would then go into small Portuguese oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and after which age for 18 months before being bottled, where it will continue to age for at least a total of 7 years upon release (on average 9 years, in fact). In the 1950's, everything about what Almeida did was thought to be completely impossible by any stretch of the imagination and ran totally counter to how wines were made in the Douro - of course, it wasn't impossible for Almeida to make a dry red, but it certainly would be astounding if it was any good. And yet when that 1952 Barca-Velha was first showcased, it was nothing short of incredible. It became a national icon and was famous all across tables in Portugal!

This became the calling card that would underpin the historical importance of Casa Ferreirinha, which would emerge as the dry wine offshoot from A. A. Ferreira. Now, interestingly perhaps in a stroke of coincidence, Dona Antonia was in fact close friends with one Joseph James Forrester, a prominent fortified Port wine shipper and English Barron who had campaigned vigorously - and was greatly punished in light of - for the making of dry wines in the Douro some over 100 years prior to the debut of the Barca-Velha.

 

The Guedes family.

 

In the years that would follow, Barca-Velha would mark a disappearance from the mid-1960's through the lat 1970's as the vineyards in the Douro Superior were replanted, this time with modern technology, with also pivotally the Ferreira family's acquisition of the Quinta da Leda, which was not cultivated at the time and were to now be planted with vines. Over the decades, given the change in climatic conditions and technology, the making of Barca-Velha has of course evolved as much, now favouring a greater proportion of Touriga Franca, where it is today crushed in traditional stone lagares that can now be temperature controlled, and after which it is then fermented in stainless steel vats to preserve its freshness. The wine is then allowed to age in the lodges over at the Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto, where today it is matured in French oak barrels instead.

In 1987, the Ferreira house, and by extension Casa Ferreirinha, would join the Sogrape family, as it stands today, Portugal's foremost wine producer, which owns several wineries in Portugal, and with also a global footprint, with also wineries in Spain, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand. Sogrape itself was established in 1942 (then named the Sociedade Comercial dos Vinhos de Mesa de Portugal) by Fernando van Zeller Guedes along with several partners, formed at a time when Portugal was undergoing great economic challenges, and was thus charged with the goal of bringing Portugal's wines to the international market, which it has successfully done so. Sogrape had achieved great success early on with the debut of its Mateus Rose, which firmly etched upon the global palate the Rose style of wine, and today remains family owned by the Guedes'. This in turn has allowed the Ferreira house and Casa Ferreirinha to remain as one of the few historic estates in Portugal that can tout a continuous lineage of Portuguese ownership.

 

Winemaker Luis Sottomayor.

 

Casa Ferreirinha today shares the same winemaker, Luis Sottomayor, as with Ferreira Port, and stands as only the third winemaker of the famed Barca-Velha. As of 2026, the cuvee has only been made 21 times in 74 years, and in the years where it is not made, a Reserva Especial is sometimes declared instead - it is worth noting that in 32 of those vintages, neither a Barca-Velha nor a Reserva Especial was declared. The wines are renowned for being long-lived and are said to be in its perfect drinking window some 20 years in, and are also never released any younger than 7 years of age. Beyond said crown jewel, Casa Ferreirinha today produces a range of red cuvees, with also increasingly some white and rose expressions as well, all of which are made with traditional local Douro varieties. The winery calls the Quinta da Leda estate home, whilst also tapping on local growers in the Douro Superior and the Cima Corgo, with still a focus on producing dry table wines.

 

Fourth-generation Fernando Garcia-Agulló Guedes.

 

And so today, I've had the great privilege of taste testing the wines across Casa Ferreirinha's portfolio, with fourth-generation Fernando Garcia-Agulló Guedes talking us through the wines and sharing more about the estate's philosophy, as well as the broader challenges and opportunities in the Douro. Interestingly and delightfully so, Guedes tells of how winemaking at Casa Ferreirinha is treated as beyond trendiness, and that all its experiments are geared singularly towards achieving quality consistency, and is made solely to the basis of a customer wanting a second glass, and as such pays little consideration to what is fashionable, and that whilst there is much talk in the wine world today of sustainability with very little attention paid towards the aspect of social sustainability, wherein those involved in the wine trade are taken care of - eschewing having to broadcast its social efforts - Casa Ferreirinha in fact takes great effort to ensure that growers in the region are looked after. 

This is all made possible thanks to Malt Wine Asia, who is now the official importer of Casa Ferreirinha's historic and iconic wines into Singapore! This marks the first time that the legendary Barca-Velha has touched these sunny shores! When it was first announced, much of Singapore's wine community showed up to give the iconic estate a warm welcome, which is just testament to its reputation. Having tasted through them, it is absolutely unquestionable that this is a great addition to the local wine scene in Singapore, with these wines absolutely delivering - if you're familiar with Port wines, or think them a tad boring, you have to try these dry wines from the Douro which are perfumed and robust, and pair brilliantly with any number of cuisines. Definitely look out for them and give them a try!

 

 

And so with all that said, let's give Casa Ferreirinha's wines a taste test. Today, we'll be tasting the Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Vinho Branco, Vinha Grande Vinho Tinto, Callabriga, Castas Escondidas, Quinta da Leda, Reserva Especial and of course, the Barca-Velha.

Let's go!

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Douro Vinho Branco

Made with a blend of 43% Viosinho, 20% Arinto, 20% Rabigato and 17% Gouveio (Godello) grown at Quinta do Sairrao, Castanheiro and Muxagata vineyards in the central Cima Corgo area (to the west of Douro Superior), which sit 600m above sea level and are hence exposed to wide temperature swings with hot days and cool nights that facilitate an ideally slower ripening so that great flavour intensity can be developed, all whilst acidity is preserved, the soils here are of schist and slate, allowing for the roots to dig deep. The challenging soil also naturally results in vines with lower yields and greater concentration.

Upon harvest, the fruit is destemmed and gently crushed, with cold maceration applied whilst still on the skins to extract maximum aromatics. The fermentation is then conducted in stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, without malolactic fermentation. 50% of the wines are then aged in stainless steel tanks, with the other 50% in new French oak barrels for 6 months on fine lees, before being blended together for the final cuvee and bottled.

  

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Opens with a touch of vanilla cream and mascarpone, accompanied by a mineral air of flint and gravel, whilst at the same time gently candied with maltose, honey and barley sugar. It's garnished with white florals of jasmine, and almost a touch waxy and resinous, with tints of eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. As it opens it develops a pillowy quality of marshmallows, with more stone fruits coming through, with a veil of vine peach fuzz, with also a floury doughiness, still served with a side of honey on mascarpone. 

Taste: Medium-bodied here, really plush and supple, yet with a satisfying richness. Vine peaches, candied maltose, vanilla cream, with also that savouriness of dried Mediterranean herbs, here with a touch of oyster shell salinity and minerality, along with specks of gravel. The acidity is bright yet rounded, with a lush creaminess of its core that is then outlined with mineral precision and cleanness.

Finish: Seamless, plush yet firm, with still vanilla cream drizzled on with maltose, fragrances of vine peaches, savoury dried herbs, and then a more prominent salinity here. It persists with a combo of briny, herbaceous, candy on cream.

My Thoughts

A really delightful white that combines all of that beautiful aromatics and freshness with the richness and plushness to make it incredibly versatile. It shows such an understated complexity, yet remains effortlessly elegant, with dimensions that stretch from candied, confectionary tones, to stone fruits, and then all the way to a stony seaside minerality and even a savouriness of dried herbs. Despite how varied the flavours are, they are well composed and evocative, without any jostling for attention - incredibly well-balanced, with freshness to make it a starter and the richness to hold its own with seafood and tapas.

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Douro Vinho Tinto

Hailing from vineyards in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior, namely the Quinta do Seixo and Quinta da Leda, this combines freshness and acidity (from the Cima Corgo fruit) with robustness of the body (from the Douro Superior fruit) to deliver balance.

With 38% Touriga Franca, 31% Touriga Nacional, 22% Tinta Roriz and 9% Tinta Barroca, vinification was done in the respective Quinta do Seixo and Quinta da Leda wineries, with the fruit destemmed and soft crushed, before being fermented in stainless steel tanks for alcoholic fermentation. Gentle maceration was done to control the level of extraction, with ageing then taking place in aged French oak barrels for 12 months, after which the final cuvee was assembled. 

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Ruby

Aroma: Immediately perfumed, with raspberries, blackberries, as well as a touch of tobacco and eucalyptus, all layered upon an incredibly velvety and pillowy, plush bed of vanillic creaminess.

Taste: Medium-bodied, filled in with raspberry and blackberry preserves, well saturated and velvety, with wafts of eucalyptus and mulberry leaves, giving it a slightly green leafiness. More on tobacco, with also an accent of gravel minerality. 

Finish: Those plush red and black fruit preserves carry through, bolstered by more concentrated dried fruits of plums and prunes, still with that touch of eucalyptus and tobacco. The acidity is bright, with the tannins giving, if not a little grainy here.

My Thoughts

A beguiling and well saturated red that is fruit forward, with a good complexity that extends towards tones of earthiness, herbal qualities and a distinct minerality as well. It's got a good richness, velvety and pillowy plush, yet isn't overly heavy, giving it the sort of body that pairs perfectly with a more meaty companion of steak. The acidity here gives it a nice lift, with the tannins contributing a touch of dryness against the bountiful body. Very enjoyable! If you're big on Left Bank Bordeaux's, try this one on for size! That much more complexity to be had!

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Callabriga Douro

Now we're firmly planted in the Douro Superior, with the Callabriga so named after the hill of the same name that sits on the Quinta da Leda estate. Composed of 55% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional and 15% Tinta Roriz, the fruit for this cuvee comes from several plots within the Quinta da Leda estate, as well as in the neighbouring vineyards within the Douro Superior. This hilly area comprises of numerous plots each with a different microclimate and of various inclines.

Made at the Quinta da Leda winery, the fruit is destemmed and then gently crushed, before being fermented in stainless steel tanks, with some additional maceration time afters. The wine is then racked off the skins and then aged in 25% new American oak and 75% aged French oak for 12 months, after which the final cuvee is put together.

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Ruby

Aroma: Bouquets of rose petals, incredibly fragrant and perfumed, with then lots of black and red fruits, of plums, prunes, blackberries and raspberries, in the form of fruit pastes. It's juicy and rich, yet without overt heaviness. Wafts of eucalyptus, with also an air of dusty concrete. 

Taste: Medium-bodied, richer and more opulent here, it's showing blackberry and prune preserves with a smaller bit of raspberries. The rose petals stay on, as does the eucalyptus, with the acidity bright and the tannins silky and giving.

Finish: That air of concrete marks a return, with the black fruit preserves carrying through, as does the eucalyptus which is now joined by a savouriness of dried herbs. It's still very much plush and velvety, with the tannins completely resolved and rounded. Lingering blackcurrants and mulberry leaves.

My Thoughts

Decidedly riper and more unctuous, this is generous with the fruit, leaning towards a bounty of black fruit preserves. Rose petals begin to appear, giving the wine a more perfumed bouquet, pairing wholly with the deeper tones of eucalyptus. A more dusty concrete type of minerality also shows up, which adds a rustic and rugged mustiness to the wine that comes across really charming as well. The wine is overall plush and velvety, with the tannins silky and resolved, and with just some air time, this blossoms wonderfully with such boldness and richness. If the Vinha Grande red is a Bordeaux Left Bank substitute, then the Callabriga is rightfully its Right Bank equivalent.

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Castas Escondidas Douro

For starters, "Castas Escondidas" translates as Hidden Varieties, which is of course a nod towards the showcasing of some of the Douro's lesser featured varieties, and thus here we see the use of 21% Tinta Amarela, 14% Tinta Francisca, 14% Touriga Femea, 11% Tinto Cao, along with 6% Rufete, 4% Tinta da Barca, 3% Bastardo, 2% Marufo, as well as the remaining 25% of old vine field blends - a literal grape library! These wide spanning varieties were sourced from a range of vineyards across the Douro Superior and the Cima Corgo.

Upon harvest, most of the fruit is destemmed and crushed, before being fermented in stainless steel vats according to the variety. After which, the wines were then matured in aged French oak barrels for 18 months, where upon finally the concluding cuvee was put together. 

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Ruby

Aroma: Opens with a brambly mix of black and red fruits, lightly tart, of blackberry, dark cherry and raspberries. There's a slightly herbal quality of mulberry leaves, perfumed rose petals too, with then more earthy and spiced tones of tobacco, sarsaparilla and cloves. It's lifted and aromatic, painted over a canvas of vanilla cream, with also a minerality of gravel and spring water.

Taste: Medium-bodied, super plush and velvety, with a good richness, it's incredibly elegant and silky and with a good weight to it. Filled in with dark cherries, prunes, plums, all in the form of fruit preserves, with again a touch of eucalyptus, backed by a brighter tone of vanilla. The acidity here is gentle, with the tannins velvety. An outline of chalk and gravel.

Finish: The dark fruit salad continues on with those plum and prune preserves, still holding firmly to the eucalyptus and tobacco. It's plush, rich and really firm into the finish, with a slight powdery chalkiness. Lingering prunes, eucalyptus and fragrant rose petals.

My Thoughts

A more rustic style that given the sheer number of varieties included, is very well composed, cohesive and united, conveying a sense of rugged purity, with a more earthy and spiced touch. It packs in some additional weight, yet with the bright acidity and the velvety tannins, it comes through with a surprisingly elegant and lighter touch. And as rugged as it might sound, it's also really elegant with that contrasting lifted quality, making for a very satisfying red that has demonstrates good chomp. This would pair nicely with a rack of lamb, and makes a fine swap for that Syrah.

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Quinta Da Leda Douro

We're now in home turf, aren't we? As the name suggests, the fruit here - 48% Touriga Franca, 41% Touriga Nacional, 7% Tinto Cao and 4% Sousao - come solely from the 170 hectare Quinta da Leda estate. The terrain here is hilly, and as such have to be planted with the appropriate varietals depending on its sun exposure, with the soils schist and the temperature hot. 

Harvest is manual, with the best plots used for this cuvee. Upon harvest, the fruit is sorted, fully destemmed and gently crushed, with fermentation done in stainless steel tanks, where the various varieties are all co-fermented together. Long and gentle maceration here, with the wines then aged in 50% aged and 50% new French oak barrels for 18 months.

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Dark Ruby

Aroma: Incredibly sensual and plush, with red and black fruits of raspberries, dark cherries, blackberries, plums and prunes. It's lifted and really fresh, with then an air of chalky gravel, along with perfumed bouquets of rose petals and a softly herbal eucalyptus. Towards the core is a slightly earthy and spiced bit of red licorice and sarsaparilla.

Taste: Medium-plus bodied, really great richness, plush and pillowy, very fresh and showing depth and concentration, filled in with blackberries, dark cherries, plums and prunes, a smaller bit of raspberries, with also some earthiness of tobacco, leather and sarsaparilla. At the back, some lightly herbal tones of eucalyptus and cough syrup, with also a spread of dried fruits of plums and prunes. It's really rich, yet without overt heaviness. The acidity here is really fresh, tannins completely resolved.

Finish: Leaning darker toned with cough syrup, plums, prunes, mix of dried and cooked down black fruit. It's still very much plush and luscious to the finish.

My Thoughts

Big and bold, really juicy and at the same time layered, this was really enjoyable, with all of that brooding, darker toned richness and verve. It's clearly fruit driven, with still elements of minerality and perfumed florals, and also some earthiness, that all complements the darker fruit. And despite its richness, it maintains a clean freshness, with also a very enticing plush pillowy texture that envelopes the palate in velvety robes, all without overt heaviness. The acidity is fresh and bright, with the tannins resolved and softened. This is perfect with any style of grilled meats or more creamy pasta, paella or risotto, where it'll readily take the place of a Napa Cab Sauv or a Super Tuscan. Mighty fine!

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Reserva Especial Douro

Whilst we know by now that the Barca-Velha is not declared annually - or often for that matter - it is nevertheless made annually, and it is only after vinification is completed and the wines are allowed to age for some time in French oak barrels over at the Vila Nova de Gaia lodges that it is periodically tasted and a decision is made as to whether it will be declared. And so on the more frequent instances that the wine is not declared as Barca-Velha, it is thus the Reserva Especial. It's nevertheless worth noting that in the 74 vintages since the debut of the Barca-Velha, 32 vintages have gone un-declared for also the Reserva Especial, when it is determined that the wines produced do not achieve the threshold.

“For the recent 2015 vintage, I knew quite early on that I would declare a Barca-Velha, as the wine had all the structural elements and complexity required. But I still worry whether I should have declared 2001 as a Barca-Velha rather than a Reserva Especial” says head winemaker Sottomayor in an interview.

Selected from the best plots within the Quinta da Leda estate, along with fruit from vineyards at high altitudes - as is the Barca-Velha philosophy - the combination of 42% Touriga Franca, 34% Touriga Nacional, 13% Tinta Roriz and 11% Tinto Cao, are first vinified at the Quinta da Leda winery, where they are rigorously sorted, fully destemmed and gently crushed. The blend of varieties are co-fermented together in stainless steel tanks with regular pump overs, where maceration is extended for greater extraction. Once done, the wines are then moved over to the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto, where it's aged for 18 months in 75% new French oak barrels. It's closely monitored and regularly tasted, after which it is bottled without fining and just a gentle filtration. It's then aged in bottle for several years before release.

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Ruby

Aroma: Superbly fresh on the open, it's immediately perfumed with elegant tints of rose petals, mulberries, blackberries and raspberries, joined by a waft of eucalyptus, as well as a smaller side of plums and prunes. It's very much lifted, even alittle candied, with hints of peach, and an air of chalkiness. Really sensual and pillowy too!

Taste: Medium-bodied here, carrying through all of that lifted elegance, it's velvety, plush and with good richness, just as well saturated yet even more fresh and airy. It's coloured by plums, prunes and mulberries, great concentration and clean precision. Light touches of chalk, eucalyptus, drops of cough syrup. With time more red fruits emerge, with dark cherries and raspberries. Phenomenally fresh body, with such great acidity and depth. The tannins here are polished and silky, yet delicately chiselled and structured.

Finish: Those plums, prunes, cough syrup and eucalyptus carry through the finish, here joined by more fragrant tones of tobacco and rose petals as well. The tannins still very much silky, if not a touch grainy. Incredibly plush all throughout, with a lingering air of chalk, prunes, eucalyptus and rose petals.

My Thoughts

Thoroughly thrilling expression that is so incredibly vivid and with a supreme freshness that is so evocative and elegant that you can't help but smile in sheer delight! It's well-saturated, showing more balance here between the fruit, as well as the florals, minerality and earthiness, with a superbly fresh acidity that just gives the entire canvas such a beautifully lifted quality, accentuating that clean and delicate, chiselled structure. At the same time, it still holds all of that same concentration and sensual, pillowy depth. It's perfumed, effortlessly charming, with a polished silkiness that exudes a stylish classiness that makes it the perfect bottle for any occasion!

 

 

Wine Review: Casa Ferreirinha Barca-Velha Douro

And finally we come to the wine of the moment! The legendary Barca-Velha! Named after (and translated directly as) an old boat that was used to ferry workers across the Douro, this was the first premium unfortified dry (or still) red table wine that would come out of the Douro in over three centuries, when the first 1952 vintage was made by Fernando Nicolau de Almeida, who was inspired to do so in a bid to create new wines, and was thus encouraged by the famed oenologist Emile Peynaud. Almeida would overcome great challenges and would make a series of ingenious manoeuvres to create the Barca-Velha, all during a time when fortified Port wines reigned supreme. As such, the Barca-Velha is forever etched in Portugal's wine history! It remains till this day one of the most rarely produced fine wine, and has only ever been made 21 times in 74 years, and each time it is produced, only a small outturn is made. The wine is renowned in particular for being long-lived, and in the frequent years that it is not made, a Reserva Especial may be produced instead, although in a substantial number of vintages neither are declared.

Today, the Barca-Velha is made with 42% Touriga Franca, 34% Touriga Nacional, 13% Tinta Roriz and 11% Tinto Cao, harvested from Casa Ferreirinha's Quinta da Leda, as well as from high altitude vineyards, which together provides a balanced mix of body, power and freshness. Each year, a potential cuvee is made, with the fruit vinified at the Quinta da Leda winery, destemmed and gently crushed in stone lagares, before being co-fermented altogether in stainless steel vats, with long and gentle maceration, and thereafter sent to age in French oak barrels for 18 months at the Vila Nova de Gaia lodges. During its ageing, it's regularly tasted and assessed by the head winemaker, and it is during this time that it is determined as to whether a declaration will be made for the wine to be destined as Barca-Velha, and if not, the Reserva Especial, or just as likely, not at all. It is bottled after 18 months of barrel ageing, and then aged for at least a minimum of 7 years in total (although on average 9 years) before being released.

“The key is not quality or aroma, but determining age-worthiness based on the quality of tannins, structure and acidity of the wine,... there has always been a strong determination to maintain continuity in style, quality and consistency in every declared vintage of Barca-Velha,” says head winemaker Sottomayor. Making a call on declaring a Barca-Velha is one of Sottomayor's most important tasks, and if and when he does make a declaration, Sottomayor would then inform the Guedes' Sogrape President of his decision, after which a presentation with the company's key stakeholders is conducted where Sottomayor will showcase the wine.

 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Dark Ruby

Aroma: It opens firm and cool, with a concentration and saturation of dark fruits of plums and prunes, delicately perfumed with rose petals and a waft of herbal eucalyptus and cough syrup. It shows a sheen of freshness, lifted yet compact. It's rich at its core, yet clean and structured across its outlines.

Taste: Medium-bodied, it keeps that stylish cool cleanness, really fresh and lifted, yet focused and concentrated with its richly black fruited body of blackcurrants, blackberries, plums, prunes, still garnished with rose petals and eucalyptus, here cusped with an accent of gravel minerality. It's compact and svelte, with this sense of a developing lusciousness as it blooms. The acidity is bright and remarkably fresh, with the tannins glimmering and polished. 

Finish: The dark fruit preserves and eucalyptus carries through seamlessly, still weightless yet compact and concentrated, really plush and silky fresh, now unfurling to give more earthy tones of leather, tobacco and licorice, with a dash of savoury spice of dried Mediterranean herbs. The black fruits get more juicy, still super bold and luscious, and quite precise. Clean and fresh finish, with a lingering aromatic air of tobacco, dried prunes and menthol.

My Thoughts

Now granted the 2015 vintage is still all things considered, a very young Barca-Velha, and already we see such potential - the word my mind continuously gravitates to is scintillating - it's superbly fresh and cohesive, almost singular it feels, wrapping in its luscious black fruited robes so much that it teases is in store. At this point, it's of course fruit forward and juicy given its youth, although as the winemaker's saying goes, "If it doesn't start out amazing, it's not going to get any better no matter how long you wait!", and to that end, we see all those clear green flags indicating precisely its excellence. It's superbly fresh and elegant, the acidity is distinct and crystal clear, yet at the same time comfortably rounded out, with the body concentrated, compact and already plush. It shows great structure, really clean outlines, yet without angularity or tightness. Of course, in time to come we should expect to see this unfold much more, but already the tannins here are incredibly polished and silky. 

The Barca-Velha comes across effortlessly suave and stylishly svelte with its gleam and precision, whilst at the same time undeniably generous and of great curatorial composition. That combination of concentration, intensity and lightness is very compelling indeed!

 

Kanpai!

 

@111hotpot