Barbeito Ribeiro Real 20 years old Sercial
€ 155.90
| Producer | Barbeito |
| Region | Madeira |
| Grapes | Sercial, Tinta Negra |
| Ageing | 20 years in cask |
| Farming | Tinta Negra foot-trodden |
| Alcohol | 19.40%vol | pH: 3.39 |
| Serving | Aperitif 10°C, dessert 16°C, no need to decant Keeps for months once opened |
| Scores | 18/20 Jancis Robinson |
Ribeiro Real 20-year-old Sercial: exotic, spicy and saline.
Tasting note
Greenish gold. Exotic, exquisite, fresh and spicy, with notes of citrus, green leaf, sea breeze, quince, nuts, caramel and smoke. Refined and delicate on the palate, with citrus, a lightly saline touch, minerality and a fresh finish.
The story
The Sercial comes from several quality vineyards in Jardim da Serra, the Tinta Negra from Câmara de Lobos. The Tinta Negra must was obtained by foot treading, the Sercial by a continuous screw press.
Sercial is the white grape behind the driest style of Madeira: the spirit is only added at the end of fermentation, when almost all the sugar has fermented. Its very high acidity when young earned this late-ripening grape the name Esgana Cão (dog strangler), and it is why Sercial usually ages for a long time. It grows in the highest vineyards in the south, at around 600-800 m, or in the cooler north. Sercial is somewhat reminiscent of Riesling.
Madeira spends years ageing in an oxidative environment and moves into a reductive one at bottling. It is therefore best to open the bottle a few hours in advance. After that, air no longer affects the wine: an open bottle keeps almost indefinitely and often tastes even better months later. Always store Madeira upright, as the acidity attacks the cork if the bottle lies down.
Food pairing
Excellent as a digestif, with Christmas pudding, foie gras, caramel pudding, chocolate, candied fruit and cheese.
Critics & Awards
18/20 Jancis Robinson | Tasted: Oct 2014
4,3/5 Vivino (94 ratings)