Bairrada Tinto, 'Nossa Calcario'

Score

93

"The 2018 Nossa Calcário red is a Baga from old vines. It was aged for 18 months in second-use French oak and comes in at 12.2% alcohol. Elegant and seeming to show good concentration, at least in mouthfeel, this is a perfectly constructed Baga that is precise, impeccably balanced, understated and focused. Fresh, yet caressing on the palate, this lingers nicely and adds a slightly earthy touch on the finish—that's the Baga showing up for work. I'm not sure this 2018 fully equals some fine recent vintages, but it certainly is rather splendid. Time eventually will tell us who wins. This is very accessible. You can drink it now, although it will certainly reward you if you cellar it for a few years. It likely will hold for a couple of decades. There were 3,692 bottles and 135 magnums made."

Score

92

"Filipa Pato and William Wouters farm three small parcels where the vines range from 80 to 130 years old, sustained by the chalky clay soils of Bairrada’s low coastal hills. Fermented in oak lagars and aged in used oak casks, this wine is classical baga, a red zone of blood orange and pomegranate seeds, its layered complexity driven by a buzz of limestone acidity that crests over the fruit like a wave of salt water. Pour it with a salad of aged goat cheese, potatoes, olive oil and fresh herbs."