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 Graça 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 Marcia’s 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 doesn’t meet higher domestic consumption standards.