★

4.68/5

Casa Ferreirinha : Barca-Velha 2011

Name: Casa Ferreirinha : Barca-Velha 2011
Brand: Casa Ferreirinha
SKU: J1696/11
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.68 (342 reviews)

Duriense

Douro

- Red - See details

Parker | 97

J. Suckling | 99

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DeliveryFree Home delivery for orders exceeding € 300
Guaranteed provenanceWines sourced directly from the producing estates

All Casa Ferreirinha wines

Marks and reviews

/100

Robert Parker

Mark Squires

The 2011 Barca Velha, the latest offering of this late-released wine, is a blend of 45% Touriga Franca, 35% Touriga Nacional, 10% Tinta Roriz and 10% Tinto Cão. This was aged in French oak for about 18 months. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol. The price of this tends to be set by the market (although it was around 250 euros with the producer's wine club), list prices having no resemblance to what might happen. I have heard of some retailers hitting 800 euros a bottle, which is frankly ridiculous. Still, this is very fine. With the late release, this has acquired some maturity and balance. It certainly has a far darker and warmer feel in 2011 than, say, in 2008. But it has a beautiful finish, mature flavors and tannins that balance rather than overwhelm the wine, at least with a little air. It still has a lot of tannic pop, but that is not scary anymore. I also loved the tinges of cherry and chocolate. This is impressive and very serious but hardly perfect. For a big 2011, it is well balanced, but finesse is not its key calling card. If you tasted this 2011 next to the 2008, you might wonder if it is really the same wine. So go vintage styles. Whether it is worth the money is up to you. Unfortunately, with cult wines, the discussion always winds up there. Most perform well, but it is often hard for them to justify the pricing compared to other wines that also perform well for a lot less money.

/100

James Suckling

Extremely deep red with aromas and flavors that change all the time, with blackberry, black raspberry, black licorice, floral notes and asphalt. Full-bodied with deep intensity, power and finesse. The tannins are wonderfully polished, yet very present. This is a tribute to the first great Barca Velhas of the 1960s. Drinkable now, but better in three or four years.

Description

Complex and rich, an exceptional Douro wine

The estate

Owned by the Sogrape Group, one of the most important Portuguese wine producers, Casa Ferreirinha is synonymous with one word: outstanding. Founded in the 18th century by Bernardo Ferreira, the house is renowned for its in-depth knowledge of the Douro vineyards and for the quality of its wines.

The wine

Created in 1952, Barca-Velha is one of the most prestigious and famous Portuguese wines. Produced only in the very best vintages and organically grown in the Douro DOC, Barca-Velha is the epitome of Douro wines. This exceptional wine has forged the international reputation of Casa Ferreirinha, a brand renowned for the excellence of its Douro wines.

The vintage

The 2011 vintage was characterised by a cold and rainy winter, which enabled the soil's to replenish its water supplies. The summer weather conditions gave rise to a very good year, with grapes that showcased a well-balanced maturity.

Vinification and ageing

This wine is vinified at Quinta da Leda by Luis Sottomayor. The grapes used come mainly from the Quinta de Leda vineyard, with additional supplies from vineyards in different areas of the Douro Superior region. Following destemming, the grapes are gently pressed and placed in stainless steel tanks for alcoholic fermentation. Maceration is carried out under temperature control over a fairly long period in order to develop the wines' aromas, structure and rich colour.

The Douro Barca-Velha 2011 Casa Ferreirinha was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. The final blend was made after an extremely rigorous selection of the best wines and regular tastings and analyses of the blends and barrels. The wine is filtered before bottling.

The blend

Touriga Franca (45%)

Touriga Nacional (35%)

Tinto Cão (10%)

Tinta Roriz (10%).

Casa Ferreirinha’s Barca-Velha 2011: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour

This fine Douro red wine has a beautiful, intense ruby colour.

Nose

The nose is very intense and develops mainly spicy, balsamic, cedar and tobacco box notes before evolving into ripe red fruit. Subtle woody notes are present thoughout.

Palate

Energetic, this wine possesses a vibrant acidity and firm tannins that highlight the beautiful black fruit and balsamic notes. The finish is long and elegant and complex.

Food and wine pairing

Classic, elegant, this fine red wine from Portugal will complement red meat dishes, game or cheese.

Service

To fully relish this wine, it is advisable to place it in an upright position at least one day before the tasting so that the wine can decant in advance. We recommend opening the bottle 2 or 3 hours before serving to give the wine time to open.

Storage

Enjoy it now, this fine wine from Portugal has a great ageing potential. If stored in good conditions and horizontally, the wine can be kept until 2030 and beyond.

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