Three Baga-based reds from Casa de Saima in Bairrada

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Oswaldo Costa

Oswaldo Costa
My favorite Portuguese wines come from Bairrada, where the dominant grape is the very tannic Baga. In January of this year we visited several wineries in the area. At Casa de Saima the owner had forgotten our appointment, but we left with five bottles to taste at leisure, and recently opened the three reds among them on consecutive nights (Colheita, Reserva and Garrafeira are successively higher levels).

The first two, from 2007, are products of Casa de Saima as it stands today, owned solely by Graa Maria da Silva Miranda. The third, from 2001, comes from when the winery was run by her ex-husband, the posteriorly defenestrated Dr. Carlos Almeida e Silva.

2007 Casa de Saima Colheita Bairrada DOC 13.0%
A blend of Baga, Touriga Nacional and, strangely, Merlot. Aged in used casks. Jammy dark prune aromas. More (sickly) sweet than acid. Not tannic at all. Too modern for me. Lots of SO2, judging from Marcias ensuing sneezefest. Pass.

2007 Casa de Saima Reserva Bairrada DOC 13.5%
Mostly Baga, with some Touriga Nacional. Aged in used casks. Mature plum and smoke aromas, happily not as jammy as the Colheita. Good acid/sweet balance, good body. More satisfying than the previous, but not as tannic as a young Baga should be. Good quaff, not particularly inspiring.

2001 Casa de Saima Garrafeira Bairrada DOC 13.5%
95% Baga. Aged in used casks. Unfiltered and unfined. Elegant aromas of blackberries, violets and resin. Good acid/sweet balance, decent extraction, pleasant grippy tannins. Sweet edge, but not too off-putting. Still tastes young and primary. Good, honest stuff, would be happy to meet at a restaurant, but doesnt meet higher domestic consumption standards.
 
Yup, but there are other producers, like Quinta das Bageiras, Pato and Casa do Canto that we'll be opening soon. Not wines that interest many here, but at least the comments will remain for future use.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Not wines that interest many here
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Oh, I wouldn't say that with confidence. I don't drink them often, but I certainly would like to know what's up in an interesting part of the world.
 
The sum total of my knowledge on the subject is a case of Garrafeira I got at CSW a few years back. I'd be curious to learn more.
 
In the coming weeks I'll be opening the booty from our Portugal trip and reporting on it. Wonderful place to visit, Cliff, unjaded producers, inexpensive hotels and restaurants, friendly locals, lots of historical monuments, beautiful scenery...
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
You, of course, being representative of the average board member.
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Average board member? Not by a long shot. But SFJoe is generally accepted as representing the average consumer. Forgive me Oswaldo, I should introduce myself. I am an infrequent participant here, more as a matter of distance than inclination. I, too, have an interest in and a fondness for the wines of Bairrada. But I never imagined that someone might prefer these above all other wines in Portugal - well, except for Luis Pato. Were the other producers you visited as interesting as Casa de Saima? I have never been to Portugal, and apart from Luis Pato, have only ever encountered negociant Bairrada.
 
Hi, Jeff, nice to meet you. Besides Saima, we also visited Luis Pato, Quinta de Bageiras, Casa do Canto, and Sidonio de Souza (there's a long and detailed trip report from January on file here). I came away with the satellite view that, for dry reds and white, Douro is mostly modern acidulated spoof for the higher end market, Alentejo is mostly traditional style but acidulated for the QPR market, while the most interesting stuff is in Bairrada and Do, where modern styles have made smaller inroads and there is a long dry wine tradition (to which the Douro are relative newcomers, flexing their capital and port distribution channels). Of course there are/must be exceptions, and I keep looking for those. Would love to hear of any that you find or have found.
 
Although I am far from an expert on the wines of Portugal, I do have some samples from Quinta de Bageiras on their way to CA, having appreciated the wines on a recent visit, so I look forward to your notes when you post them, Oswaldo. If all goes well we may have them available in CA come July or August.
 
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