Antonio Madeira Palhete Ainda 2022
Antonio Madeira Palhete Ainda 2022 – alternate view 2
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Antonio Madeira Palhete Ainda 2022

Antonio Madeira
$30.00

Grape: Field Blend (Red and White Native Varieties)
Vintage: 2022
Type: Red (Palhete, Light)

Originating from the rugged, granite-rich foothills of the Serra da Estrela in Portugal's Dão region, this cuvée is Antonio Madeira's homage to the historic, ancestral style of the area. A traditional "Palhete" is crafted by co-fermenting red and white grapes co-planted together in centuries-old vineyards. Madeira sources this fruit from lovingly regenerated, biodynamically farmed old vines—some well over a hundred years old. In the cellar, he adheres to a strictly minimal-intervention philosophy, letting the field blend undergo spontaneous native-yeast fermentation. To showcase the wine's raw purity, electric high-altitude energy, and aromatic lift, it is aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks before being bottled unfiltered with low sulfur.

In the glass, it pours a vivid, luminous cranberry-ruby hue with shimmering violet edges. The aromatics jump out immediately, bursting with tart red cherries, wild strawberries, crushed dried flowers, white pepper, and a cool, herbal hint of mountain garrigue. On the palate, a "crystalline" streak of laser-focused, granite-driven acidity slices straight through the light-bodied, weightless fruit. The inclusion of white grapes tempers the extraction, yielding fine-grained, featherlight tannins that frame the mid-palate without adding astringency. It glides effortlessly into an ethereal, highly refreshing finish, leaving a lingering, salty trail of crushed stone minerals and sour red berries.

Winery

António Madeira works in the Serra da Estrela area of Portugal’s Dão, where granite soils, elevation and old mixed vineyards give the region a distinctive voice. Born in Paris to a family with roots in the Dão, he first made wine here in 2010 and moved back with his family in 2017. His small holdings are spread among villages near Santa Marinha, preserving more than 45 native grape varieties, often growing together in the same old parcels. Biodynamic farming and work with horses reflect his commitment to keeping this vineyard heritage alive.

The cellar approach is informed by growers such as Jules Chauvet, Henri Jayer, Anne-Claude Leflaive and Richard Leroy. Fermentations use indigenous yeasts, with restrained sulfur additions and aging chosen to support each wine. The Vinhas Velhas whites and reds form the core of the estate range, while individual selections explore particular vineyards. The wines combine the freshness of the mountains with the depth of old vines, placing substance and clarity ahead of a standardized varietal profile.