Recent Releases from Barbeito
A visit to Barbeito at Estreito de Câmara de Lobos is always a pleasure, such is the enthusiasm of Ricardo Diogo and his small team. I tasted these wines last year on a visit to Barbeito but my full write-up was held up due to work on the new edition of my book, The Wines of Portugal. The first five of wines are unfortified i.e. DOC Madeirense. and the background to these wines is included a the new, extended chapter on The Wines of the Islands which covers Madeira and the Azores. All the Madeira wines listed below were bottled in 2025. Some of these wines have been subject to earlier bottlings.
Barbeito, Vinha do Lanço, Verdelho, 2023 ****
Grapes from São Vicente on the north side of the island, fermented and aged in new (30%) and used (70%) oak, part French from François Frères and part Hungarian: lovely gun flint character on the nose, a touch reminiscent of good Chablis and the merest hint of oak; surprisingly soft (12% abv) with a touch of salinity, steely acidity and a gentle slightly earthy-creamy finish. 17
Barbeito, Vinhas do Vento, Verdelho 2023 ****
From a plot at Raposeira on the south side of the island, mostly aged in new oak with one barrel of seasoned oak: more restrained on the nose with lovely taut, vaguely creamy fruit, linear, steely-minerally character with real tension mid-palate and a long fresh but gentle finish. 18
Barbeito, Branco de Laje, Sercial 2023 ****
Just one 350 litre barrel of this wine from a vineyard 20 metres above the sea at São Vicente, 4 days maceration on the skins lends this wine a golden straw-like colour with the leafy herbaceous character of Sercial evident on the nose and the palate, lithe and linear, just 11.5% abv with a touch of salinity and a rather lovely grassy finish. Unusual but I love it. 18
Barbeito, Vinhas do Farrobo, Bastardo 2023 ****
From the only Bastardo vineyard on the island at São Jorge on the north side of Madeira, making these some of the most expensive grapes in Portugal: deep onion-skin rosé in colour; rather charming on the nose with a touch of wood smoke, almost Bret., from seasoned barrels; light, delicate Burgundian fruit, (just 10% abv. so this doesn’t qualify as DOC Madeirense), summer fruit and rather charming if very pricey at €65 a bottle. 868 bottles were bottled unfiltered. 17.5
Barbeito, Tinta Negra 2023 ****
From a seasoned 750 litre tonel (cask): pale, youthful ruby hue with a lovely juicy, perfumed character on the nose, rose garden; quite delicate and subtle in style (11% abv) with soft, juicy, round sweet summer fruit on the palate, very fresh in style, serve this cellar-cool on a summer’s day. 17
Barbeito, Sercial, Vinha de Laje 2017 Colheita ***/****
Single vineyard, single year, single variety, single cask: pale bright amber, delicate but still rather sullen, with a smoky-grassy-saline character underlying on the nose and on the palate, better on the palate than on the nose, showing the off dry, lithe character of Sercial (37 g/l) with a that lovely streak of acidity that lends finesse and freshness to the finish. 16.5
Barbeito, Verdelho, Vinha do Agostinho, 2009 ****
Just two casks (750 litres) from a vineyard in São Vicente on the north side of the island: pale-mid amber with a lovely open smoked character on the nose, still a bit spirity; gentle with a touch of toffeed sweetness (60g/l residual sugar), creamy butterscotch and dried apricot, long and linear showing great purity and poise on the finish. 17.5
Barbeito, Duas Pipas, Bastardo ***
Two pipes of rare Bastardo, a blend from 2014/15: pale-mid amber in hue, not very emphatic on the nose, toffee and greengage with some crystalised sweetness (medium dry, 57g/l residual sugar), gentle summer fruit too, soft and easy going in style, some acidity (picked early to retain acidity) with delicate length. 16
Barbeito, Malvasia, São Jorge, 2009 Colheita ****
From a single cask, pale-mid amber in hue with soft, raisiny fruit on the nose, reflected on the palate with raisins and crystalised fruit (100 g/l residual sugar) showing freshness as well as great finesse and elegance all the way through to the finish. Still quite young but nicely integrated. 17
Barbeito, Sercial 1993 Frasqueira, Manuel Eugénio Fernandes ****
From a long-term supplier with vineyard located close to the beach at Seixal on the north side of the island, just 500 bottles in total: pale, golden amber hue with a beautiful nose combining fresh greengage, quince, a hint of wood smoke, almonds and walnuts, salinity evident too, delicate toffeed texture offset by a streak of citrus on the palate, bitter-sweet (41 g/l residual sugar but it doesn’t show), lithe and linear, searing, verging on lean on the finish. Delightful Sercial. 18
Barbeito, Verdelho 1994 Frasquiera Manuel Eugénio Fernandes ****/*****
From Seixal, as above: mid-deep golden amber; still rather sullen on the nose, some apricot, smoke and beeswax; Elvas plum combined with salted caramel and almonds, wonderful tension on the palate with a fantastic streak of acidity to offset the richness (63g/l residual sugar) and a beautifully poised finish. Wow! 18.5
Barbeito, Bual 1982 ****
From Boal grown in Campanário on the south side of the island, just 300 bottles: amber- orange with a distinct green tinge on the rim; lovely open, leafy character, autumn leaves and wood smoke on the nose; butterscotch richness combined with spice and salinity, lovely textural richness offset by green acidity on the finish which seems dry despite 87 g/l residual sugar. 17.5
