Part of the range of wines produced by renowned winemakers Casa Ferreirinha, the pinnacle of their range is Barca Velha which has less than 20 vintages created since 1952 as the wine is only produced in truly exceptional years. Such is the attention to detail that in early vintages before electricity had not reach the valley, ice cubes were packed in straw and taken to the cellars on the back of donkeys to ensure the wood vats were kept cool. A blend of white grape varieties indigenous to the Douro area; Malvasia, Codega, Gouveio, Viosinho. Not exactly names that trip of the tongue, and this is the main reason that Portugal is not as influential on the wine world as its Iberian neighbour Spain. At once traditional and modern, the wine is vinified very much in a contemporary style, helping to preserve freshness of fruit and maximum aromatic impact, this involves several processes including a controlled cold fermentation. The nose has a very intense and complex bouquet, with a prevalence of melon and pear, fresh vegetable notes of green shrubs and some mineral notes. Its palate shows great harmony and a fine body, with fruity and mineral flavours again in evidence with melon and pear at the fore with a citrus edge combining with good acidity to give a long and balanced finish.
