Port White Conceito

Project between Conceito and Barbeito (Madeira). Residual sweetness.

Arinto, Cerceal, Códega, Códega do Larinho, Donzelinho Branco, Folgazão, Gouveio, Rabigato, Sémillon.

Squires 93: This NV White Port Conceito by Barbeito is an unoaked field blend of regional white grapes coming in at 126 grams per liter of residual sugar. It was bottled in 2015 with a long cork. Although by regulation, this can't be vintage-dated without at least seven years aging, it is a 2014. Rita Marques said to me, The intention was to capture the freshness and liveliness of the wine as it was just after its first Spring... This is a collaboration between Conceito's Rita Marques and Ricardo Freitas of Barbeito (in Madeira). Gorgeous, aromatic and enticing, this beautiful White Port has a lifted feel despite its residual sugar. In many ways, it feels more like a restrained dessert wine than a Port. If the aim was to capture the freshness and liveliness of the wine, let me say that's exactly what I started to write until I noticed it was already on Rita's email. If this is a bit different (and then some) compared to the older White Ports next to which I tasted it, it is nevertheless completely delectable and impossible to resist. If it lacks some complexity just now, so be it. It has its own virtues, plenty of concentration and fine focus. I already can't wait to see next year's. The only real question is how old it will be. Rita says it should last decades. Of course, there is no track record. It will be interesting to see what it turns into. It may yet be entitled to an uptick. Note that although this is an NV wine (that I saw without a label), on the back label it should indicate: “bottled in May 2015” and “Lote WP-2014--indicating what release this is. This is not yet on our shores, but the suggested retail price in Portugal is 20-25 Euros. This comes in a 500-milliliter bottle.