May 17, 2017 - This is definitely a star madeira for me. It is powerful, broad, and complete. The raspberry and lemon fruit has a lot of bite and lasts a long time.
April 17, 2017 - Fantastic. Nose of raisins, figs, and varnish, with hints of boiled peanuts. Builds and builds on the palate, with sweetness evolving into tang. Every sip of this over several days has impressed me--not so much for its profundity as for its balance and simple deliciousness.
May 7, 2016 - mdefreitas' note nails this. This was fantastic - amazingly complex with an intoxicating fragrance, and an array of fruits, nuts, molasses, and other sweeter and savoury notes all coming together very seamlessly on a medium weight frame, with impeccable balance and tremendous length. Stunning wine.
May 7, 2016 - A great wine. While this showed a bit more VA than my previous two outings with this wine, it didn't detract. Upon opening the cork, you can smell the gorgeous dried fruit, nuts, honey and floral aromas wafting about. Powerful, yet refined, with the acidity providing definition and detail to the wine. Ridiculous length. Lovely poise for such a potent wine.
February 3, 2016 - Madeira Pilgrimage; 2/1/2016-2/4/2016 (Madeira): What an absolutely gorgeous wine. Props to Ricardo Freitas for putting this wine together to honor his mother – it’s an amazing tribute. Smells of sweet clove, complex almond and pecan, baked squash, dried apricot, polished wood and anise. On the palate this is waxy and sweet but the balance is pristine. The complexity of flavors nears the absurd: nuts, dried fruits, minerals, sea salt, rooibos tea. Smooth, sweet, tangy, precise. This is phenomenal stuff. During an epic Madeira trip, this was one of the highlights.
October 12, 2015 - The Rare Wine Company and Vinhos Barbeito Madeira Tasting (celebrating a 20 year partnership): This was a bottling to pay tribute to Ricardo's mother, containing 7% of an 1880 Malvasia (which by itself is one of the finest Malvasias I've tasted). While 7% may not seem like a lot, it appears to have added remarkable depth. So fragrant, with wild botanicals and a cornucopia of dried tropical fruits. This exhibited correct sweetness and balance. This wine underscores my belief that Ricardo is making some of the finest Malvasias out there... crisp, chiseled and filigreed Malvasias that are lifted, fresh and pure (the 30 year old Malvasia that Ricardo made in tribute to his grandfather shows a similar freshness and lightness of touch; definitely worth seeking out). Nothing syrupy here; a truly refined wine that showed better today than when I tried it on release.
August 22, 2014 - Dense and sweet with ripe fig and orange and a hint of burnt sugar. While sweet, this maintains excellent freshness and balance. Excellent depth and density. Drank over several months and was fantastic throughout.
October 10, 2013 - The Matriarch of Madeira, A Tribute to Dona Manuela Barbeito (Bar Boulud, NYC): While the 30 year blend was a tribute to his grandfather, this wine was created to pay homage to his mother. This had a serious, mature, “aged” quality to it; I believe Ricardo mentioned he blended in a bit of wine from the 1880s. Darker in color and taste relative to the 30 year blend; hints of a crème brulee with a chewy caramel and toffee note -- yet this was still bright and refreshing. While not as electric as the 30 year blend, this had a wider array of flavors and scents.