Gonçalves Faria: serious, classic Bairrada wines, now under the Niepoort stable
António Maia Ferreira Faria was a celebrated producer of classic, long-lived Bairrada under the Gonçalves Faria label, working with some special vineyards. Dirk Niepoort at one stage distributed these wines, but now he’s making them, while the Faria family still tend their vineyards. The Gonçalves Faria name remains on the unchanged label. The first Niepoort-era vintage was 2013. If you see these wines, buy them, especially the white: classic and long-lived.
Gonçalves Faria Bairrada Branco 2021 Portugal
Focused, taut and energetic with bright citrus fruit with keen acidity. Juicy and pithy and bright with purity and density, but also great acidity. Such precision to this wine. 94/100
Gonçalves Faria Branco 2017 Bairrada, Portugal
Linear and taut with nice acidity. Bright, lemony and pure with great precision. Chalky and mineral with a pristine quality and potential for further development. 95/100
Gonçalves Faria Bairrada Branco 2016 Portugal
12% alcohol. This is fantastic old-school white Bairrada, showing lovely focus and weight. Very fresh and linear with a stony edge to the chiselled citrus fruit, showing some pithy hints and a saline twist on the finish. This understated but concentrated wine has such a limestone character to the acid line, and it’s quite beautiful. 95/100
Goncalves Faria Branco 2013 VR Beira Atlantico, Portugal
10.4% alcohol. This is mineral and taut with lemons and fine herbs. Pretty but with high acidity, and real precision and purity. Pithy, bright and fine with lovely acidity. 95/100
Gonçalves Faria Bairrada Branco 1988 Portugal
12.3% alcohol. Pre-Niepoort. This is a beautiful old bottle of white Bairrada. Sweet lemon and pear fruit with a touch of honey and wax on the nose. The palate is fine and textural with purity and a chalky minerality. Pure, fresh and textural, this has evolved beautifully with some nice minty detail. 97/100
Gonçalves Faria Tinto 2015 Bairrada, Portugal
More clay soils here, inland. Very elegant, fresh and supple with pure red cherry fruit. Has a bit of crunch, with some tannin, but it’s very well integrated. Supple, fine and juicy with nice complexity. This is quite special. 94/100
Gonçalves Faria Bairrada Tinto Garrafeira Especial Tonel 5 1990 Portugal
12.5% alcohol. This is pre-Niepoort. Notes of earth, spice, leather and iodine, as well as lovely red cherry fruit. This is expressive and elegant and has evolved in a lovely way, showing real finesse, finishing with some notes of olive and cured meat. Has a lovely texture. 95/100
