Let's talk little, let's talk wine
From the House of Barbeito, this Bastardo 4 Pipas Special Reserve hails from the island of Madeira, off the Atlantic coast of Portugal. The vines are planted on steep slopes overlooking the ocean, often on terraces supported by basalt walls, and benefit from a subtropical climate tempered by sea breezes. The volcanic soils, rich in mineral matter, give the wine great tension and a singular personality, while the mosaic of micro-plots allows for the selection of the best Bastardo grapes for this rare cuvée.
This Bastardo from the House of Barbeito is a blend of four carefully selected small pipes, made in the tradition of Madeira wines. After manual harvesting and delicate pressing, the must ferments under controlled conditions before being fortified with wine spirit to retain some of the natural sugars. The wine is then aged in small oak barrels in the house's cellars, where it undergoes a long oxidative aging, concentrating the aromas and gradually refining its texture.
This wine reveals notes of candied red fruits, dried fig, and orange zest, enhanced by spicy touches of cinnamon and clove, as well as delicate floral nuances and a discreet woodiness with accents of nut and caramel. The palate offers a creamy texture, balanced by a lively acidity, with great aromatic persistence and a saline and slightly bitter finish that elegantly prolongs the wine.
Where are we traveling?
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean, 970 km southwest of Lisbon. It lends its name to one of the greatest fortified wines in the world: Madeira. Both the wine and the island occupy unique places in wine history. Early Madeira wines were produced in the image of Ports from mainland Portugal, and lacked the structure and stability to survive long sea voyages. In time, they discovered that an addition of high-quality spirits solved this problem to the point that by the mid-18th century, this fortification became standard for all Madeiras. The cost of making the wine is very high, due to the island’s remoteness and rugged terrain, combined with small-scale production and a lengthy aging process. This puts it at a significant disadvantage in increasingly competitive global wine markets. This high cost, coupled with shifting consumer preferences, has led to a dramatic decline in Madeira’s popularity and the real prospect that this historic wine will one day disappear.
The little history of the country
Portugal
Portugal's rich history is inextricably linked to its wines, especially its most famous, Port. From the ancient cities of Lisbon and Porto to small medieval towns and Roman ruins, the past is still very much alive in modern Portugal. A wonderful holiday in the heart of this country, where Port wines originated, is a unique way to experience Old World culture, the climate, the beautiful countryside, and of course, the delicious wines. Although the history of wine in Portugal dates back to the Romans, it wasn't until the early 19th century that the wine we know today as Port came into being. Portuguese table wine had already been in high demand since the mid-17th century, primarily by the British. To make rustic Portuguese wines more stable and palatable, small amounts of brandy were added to the wine barrels before shipping. Eventually, British companies began investing in the region and perfected the process of adding brandy during fermentation, rather than after, which helped preserve the distinctive fruity flavors of the red wine that were unique to Portugal's Douro Valley. In recent years, a small revolution has taken place in the Douro region in terms of developing modern-style dry red and white wines, alongside the very traditional production of Port wines. Table wines also continue to play an important role. Increased investment, improved winemaking techniques, and the modernization of the industry are yielding interesting results. What is unique to Portugal is the very large number (over 500) of indigenous grape varieties (though some are unpronounceable). Even most wine experts are unfamiliar with the grapes that produce Port, Madeira, or any other Portuguese wine. Like its neighbor Spain, Portugal has been experiencing a quiet revolution for the past two decades. The reluctance to follow trends and plant international grape varieties is now bearing fruit, and the new breed of wines, brimming with terroir and fruit, is more than capable of competing on the world stage. The unique flavors that characterize Portugal's indigenous grape varieties have become its strength. This is good news for those seeking a change from the ubiquitous international grape-based wines. The terroir is so diverse. From north to south, east to west, from mountainous to coastal vineyards, hot and dry or cool and green. In every style, from vinho verde to port, from crisp, dry whites to elegant reds, in so many different ways, Portuguese wines are unique.