|
Location: Sangalhos, Bairrada
Website address: No website
The progressive traditionalist.
Since fully taking the reins at Saima, Graça Miranda has managed to navigate the complexities of making wines from Baga in the traditional way. She has relaxed
the more fundamentalist approach to Baga for the basic Tinto, which makes it more approachable in its early years without compromising its classic style.
The Reserva and Garrafeira remain rooted in the ancient Corga and Barzomba vineyards, following the “chosen path†of full treading and
extractive winemaking and seasoned oaked ageing. These are immensely rewarding wines of inspiring character.
Her Branco reflects a more feminine touch (no clichéd references here), with subtle flavours and more underlying acidity, by the introduction of fruit from
younger vineyards with more Cerceal and Arinto to counter-balance the full flavoured Bical and Maria Gomes.
Tinto
Current Vintage: 2010
Graca Miranda keeps up the ‘fundamentalist’ tradition of treading by foot, fermenting in lagares, and ageing the wine in (100 year old)
large casks, before an unfiltered bottling. With a little time in bottle it results in one of the most characterful wines on our list. Baga gives vibrant red berry notes, with
that wild streak from low tech winemaking.
Branco
Current Vintage: 2010
2010 seems to have produced a broader, slighter richer white at Casa de Saima. Elderflower on the nose, but with characteristic restraint, and a layered slightly waxy
palate.
Rosé
Current Vintage: 2011
With 2010, Graca Miranda has taken a super-positive step with Rose, moving away from Saima's previous style of weight and structure, towards a much more delicate and refined
wine.
Reserva Tinto
Current Vintage: 2009
Saima’s Reserva is mostly Baga, but with a blob of Touriga Nacional too. These are two varieties that work well together here, the Touriga adding some extra
flesh onto the structural elements of foot-trodden Baga, resulting in both red curranty and sloe/mulberry notes too. Deepy structured, but rather delicious too.
Â
|
