Antonio Madeira António Madeira A Palheira 2021 750ml

Striking aromas of asphalt, blackberries and dried Mediterranean herbs. The palate is youthful and energetic, with plenty of fruit, firm yet precise tannins and an intense, penetrating finish. This comes from a single, extremely old vineyard planted at 600 meters, with about half the blend made up of baga and the rest of multiple varieties in a village called Passos da Serra. Great now, but will benefit from a couple more years of bottle age. Drink or hold.

The single-vineyard red 2020 A Palheira comes from one of the two best vineyards worked by Madeira, a 60- to 100-year-old plot planted on granite soils with a field blend of many varieties dominated by Baga. In 2020, he lost 50% of the crop because of frost in March, and the remaining grapes were more concentrated. So, the wines are a little more powerful and feel a little riper than the wines from 2021.. I also had a preview of the 2021 that was sourced from a different vineyard, and the wine was very floral, perhaps a little more reductive and showing a little like some wines from the Canary Islands.

The 2019 Tinto A Palheira is a field-blend of over 20 varieties from Dao, aged in used French oak for two winters and bottled unfiltered. It displays a purple hue, with aromas of plums and cherry complemented by minty notes, all resting atop a marmalade layer. Dry and intense, the rich flow is elevated by a refreshing mouthfeel, resulting in a long-lasting and savory red.<br/><br/>

The 2019 Tinto A Palheira is a field-blend of over 20 varieties from Dão, aged in used French oak for two winters and bottled unfiltered. It displays a purple hue, with aromas of plums and cherry complemented by minty notes, all resting atop a marmalade layer. Dry and intense, the rich flow is elevated by a refreshing mouthfeel, resulting in a long-lasting and savory red.