Around Portugal in seven fine wines: a seminar at Vinho da Casa in Lisbon

Website: https://vinhodacasa.pt/home-2025-en/

A tour through Portugal in seven wines. This was a masterclass I did at Vinho da Casa in Lisbon, May 2025, which was a special wine event held at the Torel Palace Hotel. The winemakers were present and explained their wines, and it’s so great to see such a snapshot of what Portugal is doing now, bringing together seven different regions.

Mário Sérgio, Bágeiras

Quinta das Bágeiras Pai Abel Branco 2013 Bairrada, Portugal (magnum)
It’s not only old vines that make great wines, says Mário Sérgio, as this bottle shows. From younger plantings of Maria Gomes and Bical in soils with very high limestone content, this is brilliant at age 12, and has a long future ahead of it. Pure with nice texture and taut citrus fruit, as well as some subtle marmalade hints. There’s a nice saline twist, and good acidity. Ageing beautifully, and still fruit driven and pure. 95/100

Anselmo Mendes Curtimenta 2012 Vinho Verde, Portugal
Anselmo started experimenting with curtimenta (skin fermented whites) in 2001, but it didn’t work back then because of the extended time on skins meant that no one liked the wine. Now he’s doing it with just 24 h skin fermentation, and the result is lovely. Complex and fine with some toasty notes, as well as appealing lime and pear fruit. Shows some nice development, and lovely crystalline character on the palate with good acid. Such precision, showing really nice development, and salty and alert on the finish. 94/100

Casa de Passarella O Fugitivo Vinhas Centenàrias 2019 Dão, Portugal
This has beautiful aromatics. It’s floral and expressive with fine red cherries and plums, as well as some subtle spiciness. The palate is very supple and really elegant with a nice stony, slightly peppery edge to the fruit. Mineral, fine and expressive with elegance and seamlessness. 95/100

Sandra Tavares, Wine & Soul

Wine & Soul Pintas 2017 Douro, Portugal
From a special 2 hectare vineyard in Vale Mendiz in the Pinhão Valley, in the Douro’s Cima Corgo, this is the 18th vintage of Pintas, and it’s ageing really well. Concentrated with nice structure under the bold blackcurrant and black cherry fruit with a hint of mint and some dried herb notes. This shows good structure and finesse and the bold black fruits are beginning to develop some savoury complexity. Rich but elegant. 95/100

Pedro Baptista, winemaker at Cartuxa

Fundaçao Eugénio de Almeida Cartuxa Tinto Colheita 2009 Alentejo, Portugal (magnum)
There are some earthy, spicy, savoury notes here, and this is dense, grainy and grippy with some warmth and evident development. Nicely intense with some firmness, this still has plenty of fruit as well as the savoury elements. Finishes grippy. 93/100

Antonina Barbosa, Falua

Falua Conde Vimioso 30 Anos Tinto 2005 Tejo (magnum)
This is a celebratory wine, just released, and only in magnum. There’s some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, and it was matured in new oak. Beguiling nose showing floral black cherry and blackberry fruit with some blackcurrant and spice characters, and just a hint of earthy complexity. The palate has a cool minty edge with sweet blackcurrant and cherry fruit and nice grip. It’s tannic but fresh, and is evolving beautifully with nice gravelly detail. Really impressive at age 20. 95/100

Ricardo Freitas, Barbeito

Barbeito Trés Amigos Meio Doce 50 Anos NV Madeira
This wine is homage to three friends: Barbeito’s Ricardo Freitas, and an American and a Japanese. . It’s a blend of three wines: a 1950s Verdelho, a 1970s Boal and then 12% Malvasia that’s 115 years old from a demijohn. This was saved from a barrel that had been left too long and it had 300 g/l sugar. The result is concentrated, powerful, and yet so fresh and complex, with some savoury, spicy notes, some citrus peel, a touch of raisin (but not too much) and then lots of acidity keeping everything very fresh. So thrilling to try this. 97/100