GG_N50_FR

THE TEAM AT ADEGA DE CANTANHEDE:
OSVALDO AMADO, VICTOR DAMIÃO,
MARIA MIGUEL MANÃO, ALBINO
COSTA AND IVO SILVA
inland parts of the area, promoting balanced ripening even during the hottest summer
days”. Rainfall towards the end of the season, however, can have harmful consequences
for the grape variety which, with its particularly thin skins, is very prone to grey mould or
Botrytis Cinerea. Fortunately, there are environmentally-friendly solutions and they are
increasingly used. They include grass cover – where cover crops are grown between the
vine rows – meticulous, intermittent leaf removal and early harvesting. Baga also needs
a little attention in the winery, admits the winemaker. The berries, which are naturally
rich in tannins, are entirely destemmed at the winery to ensure softness in the wines.
This is followed by alcoholic fermentation at 28°C and gentle maceration, where the
rack-and-return process is the favoured option. Maturation is nearly always conducted
in French oak casks which polishes Baga’s firm tannins. The red wines produced from the
variety can be ranked among the Portuguese wines with the longest cellaring capacity,
adds Amado. “They mature elegantly and fully retain their character for several decades”.
Another of the variety’s features is most certainly its versatility. Baga is used by the
winemakers at Adega de Cantanhede to make deeply coloured red wines, with vibrant
aromas of wild berries and black plum, boasting crisp acidity. Incorporating the nobility
of French oak to perfection, they reveal notes of coffee, dried grass, tobacco and
smoke. But that’s not all! Baga also comes in a variety of wine styles, from rosés, ‘blancs
de noirs’ and other sparkling wines to fortified offerings. These sell equally well in the
domestic market and abroad, where sales are booming. This is one treasure that should
be explored posthaste!
88 WINTER 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE