WTN: A 1957 Bairrada

Caves da Montanha Garrafeira Particular Tinto Colheita de 1957



My friend, Samu, once more decided to serve a blind wine when I was at his place for dinner. He tends to serve ancient and obscure Portuguese wines - as some here might remember from past posts. Even before a glass was shoved into my hand I blurted my guess: Baga from the '40s. It turns out, I wasn't far off. We had Baga (presumably) from the '50s. I think that was a pretty good guess for not even having smelled the wine.



Everything endeared me about the wine: the grimy bottle, the pale but healthy red colour, the magical scent and vibrant palate.

If it is, indeed, Baga, I can very well understand why it is said to need decades to become drinkable: this was not a tame or soft wine even with half a century in the bottle. It had a captivating aged and elegantly rustic perfume of leather and lingonberry with darker, almost liquorice scents peeking out on occasion. It was bright, lively, tannic and acidic, deliciously astringent yet seductive at the same time (I love the taste of paradoxes). It has a bright, pure, refreshing, palate-cleansing aftertaste that lasts almost forever.

I thought this was amazing, though I imagine that few apart from myself and Samu would enjoy such rustic, aged delights.

Oh, I wouldn't mind tasting that one. I've been drinking an occasional Bairrada and have wondered what 10 or 20 years would do to tame the Baga. I have a Qunita das Bageiras Garrafeira made from extremely old vines that might be a worthy aging candidate, if I can keep my hands off it.

An enviable experience!

Last month I went to a tasting conducted by Luis Pato, the man in Bairrada, and it was fascinating. More for his presentation than for the wines themselves, all on the young side and only one his. But it did succeed in making me highly aware of Bairrada as an appelation and increased my interest in baga. He makes a pé franco that I'd love to try, but is very expensive.

I'd like to see more Baga, too. I don't recall trying more than just a couple, yet whether young or old like this one, they have always captured my imagination. Too bad they are rarely seen over here.

I've had older baga Garrafeiras too - going back to 1966 and they sometimes evolve magnificently - and sometimes collapse!
But none left now.
In Toronto we can get several Pato wines - I find their sparkler (from Baga) a great match for ham and smoked meats (in particular) - and the price is right (under $20 Cdn).
And they also make a sparkling Touriga Nacional - made from grapes that are 'early-pruned' - that should please their accountants. They reduce the Touriga crop - presumably improving the quality of the end-wine. Then use the 'prunings' (still underripe) to make a sparkler.
OK, neither is a Champagne, but it's surprising how many occasions suit a chilled sparkling red.