1980 Caves São João Bairrada Frei João
Red Blend
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5,323 Tasting Notes
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12/11/2020 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points
This is the sixth time I'm tasting this wine over the course of 5 years. 12% alcohol.
Developed, rather opaque and slightly hazy mahogany color suggesting a bit of oxidation. Developed, very tertiary and somewhat dried-up nose with aromas of wizened dark fruits, tree bark, some beef jerky, a little bit of oxidative soy sauce character, light sweet notes of raisins and liqueur-ish VA, evolved hints of old leather and savory smoke and a touch of dried flowers. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and very tertiary on the palate with very evolved flavors of beef jerky, tree bark, sour cherry bitterness, sweet raisiny fruit, some old leather, a little bit of tangy soy sauce, light notes of bay leaf, a hint of blood pudding and a touch of dried tart red berries. As the wine opens up, the sweeter pruney tones gain prominence. The overall feel is still very stern and structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and firm tannins. The finish is dry, quite long and rather tannic with tertiary flavors of old leather, prunes, some soy sauce, a little bit of gamey meat, light umami notes of kombu, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A nice, tasty and very complex old Bairrada red, but getting already a bit too tertiary and slowly gliding downhill. Lacks the vibrancy and old wine charm the wine showed 5 years ago; now the fruit seems to be fading and only the tertiary non-fruit flavors remain. While not at its best anymore, this is still an enjoyable and quite rewarding old wine. No point in cellaring it further, drink up. Priced according to its quality at 49,90€.
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6/3/2020 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
My fifth bottle with this wine. 12% alcohol, bottle #45731.
Moderately developed, figgy red color with an evolved mahogany hue. Developed, savory and rather dried-up nose with aromas of gamey meat, some sanguine iron, light notes of soy sauce, a little bit of pruney dark fruit and a floral hint of dried flowers. The overall feel is tertiary and aged, but not tired or over the peak yet. The wine is dry, very evolved and pretty tertiary on the palate with mature flavors of dried cranberries, some sanguine notes of iron and black pudding, light raisiny notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of dried old leather and a touch of soy sauce. The wine is high in acidity with moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, moderately grippy and quite tertiary with dry flavors of sour cherries, dried cranberries, some meaty umami, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light floral notes of dried flowers, a hint of beef jerky and a lifted touch of sweet VA.
Still holding up really well! Starting to lose some of the intensity and comes across as a bit more tertiary compared to my previous experiences, showing slightly less those dried-fruit flavors and emphasizing more those non-fruit flavors. Still manages to offer quite a bit of that old wine pleasure. No point in cellaring these further - better to drink sooner rather than later.
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1/2/2019 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat developed dark cherry red color with a mature brick-orange hue. Very developed and quite tertiary nose with complex aromas of beef jerky, tar, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of soy sauce, light notes of menthol, a hint of smoke and a sweet whiff of raisins. The wine is medium-bodied, juicy and quite tertiary on the palate with flavors of prunes, tar, some metallic bretty tones, a little bit of leather, light iron notes of blood and rust, a hint of soy sauce and a sweet touch of syrupy richness. The wine has started to wither and fall apart little, drying up slowly, but still retaining enough depth and complexity to be pleasant. High in acidity with still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is moderately grippy with complex, long and quite tertiary flavors of prunes and dried dark fruits, some tobacco, a little bit of tar, light leathery tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a salty touch of soy sauce.
A rather tertiary and very developed but also still very attractive and impressively complex effort. A great wine that is at its peak of maturity or going slowly downhill. Better to drink up sooner rather than later.
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11/22/2015 - Osiris021 wrote: 87 Points
Past its time. Maybe just a bad bottle.
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9/8/2015 - forceberry wrote: flawed
Tasted blind.
Developed and slightly hazy maroon-hued mahogany color. Quite pungent and somewhat oxidative nose with very tertiary aromas of raisins, smoke, prunes, some roasted spices and a hint of withered flowers. The wine is taut, tough and oxidative on the palate with medium body, quite concentrated and dense mouthfeel and very tertiary flavors of raisins, espresso, dried dates, some pruney dark fruit and a hint of bitter spices. The wine is very firmly structured with moderately high acidity and lean, assertive tannins. The finish is tough, tannic and savory with tertiary flavors of leather, exotic spices, some dried figs, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a touch of soy sauce.
A very different wine from the beautifully aged bottle I had only 6 months earlier. Definitely pasts its prime and touched by quite a lot of oxidation. Although not completely in pieces, this wine is still quite long way down the downhill. Like I said before: there are no great wines, only great bottles.
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