Quinta das Bágeiras Rosé Reserva '21

Fans of Portuguese wines will want to try the first ever Chicago release of the rosé reserva! One of Portugal’s most important quality producers, Bágeiras is located in the Bairrada region, an Atlantic-influenced region, just 15 kilometers from the coast. While Bágeiras is a longtime grower in the region, it wasn’t until 1989 that Mário Sérgio Alves Nuno decided to create estate-bottled wines rather than continue selling the grapes of vineyards belonging to his grandparents. All the grapes are handpicked, and the sparkling wines have no residual sugar. He firmly believes that quality means nothing without identity. So while Quinta das Bágeiras isn’t the oldest winery in Bairrada, it is traditional, and the wines speak to the region and to the identity of the people there. 

Baga is the most important variety in the Bairrada region. It wasn’t always like that. For many years, Baga, given its finicky nature, was being ripped out in Bairrada. A thin-skinned variety, it has both high acidity and dusty tannins. Site selection, old vines, and careful work in the vineyard are required to make great Baga. A group named “Friends of Baga” helped focus attention on the potential of the variety. 

Bágeiras is a Baga specialist. Not only do they use it for sparkling wine, but their range of red wines from the grape are some of the very finest in Portugal. Recently, Bágeiras started to produce a still Baga rosé. We were lucky to get some of the few cases produced. Made entirely of Baga, fermented in oak barrels, this rosé is truly individualistic. 

Complex aromas of black cherry and spice. The freshness of Baga comes through on the palate, with bright red fruit, vibrant acidity, and a long, balanced finish. A rosé that you can open and drink on its own, but also versatile with summer salads or grilled salmon. A great value.