Antonio Míguez' New Vintages Report

We have some exciting news for you all!

Many of you are already familiar with Antonio Míguez' work, the man behind Boas Vides. And some of you could also meet him in person when he came last November to present some of the wines he was working on. Well, those wines are now finally bottled and about to land in Scotland very soon!

We have already spoken to you about Antonio in depth in another entry within our blog which you can check by clicking here to get to know his ethos in deep and why he is obsessed with the idea o bringing the old and reputed wines of Ribeiro back to life.

Today, with the excuse that Antonio's new vintages are about to hit the market, I'm going to share all my impressions of what's coming up. As I mentioned, I had the opportunity to serve these wines exclusively last November in Edinburgh and Glasgow for some of you already. These wines were pre-bottled specifically for this occasion and for the tasting held by the Colleiteiros do Ribeiro at the prestigious 67 Pall Mall in London.

Recently, I've been tasting new samples of all of them again so I could give you an update of what you should expect from each of his new cuvées. Let's get to it.

1. Boas Vides, Branco, 2023

Antonio has not produced a white since his foundational cuvée, Cruz da Pena 2021. On that occasion, the wine was made exclusively with grapes from John Roberts' vineyard, adjacent to Antonio's historic vineyard San Lourenzo da Pena. This time, Antonio decided to combine it with his own grapes from both San Lourenzo da Pena and Peitieiros plots, creating a blend of historic Ribeiro white varieties such as Treixadura (60%), Lado (15%), Verdello Antigo (15%), and Albariño (10%).

After spontaneous fermentation was taken place in stainless steel tanks, the wine rested in barrels for eight months, six of which included bâtonnage. Antonio is producing 1,080 bottles only.

The wine is austere, but with a breadth of aromas ranging from stone fruits like mirabelle and flat peaches to green apples, pear peel, and early spring flowers (freesia, jasmine). On the palate, it has zing thanks to a lively acidity that breaks down a smooth and textural body. Many mineral inputs from the granitic soils leave sparkles and glimmers. Drinkable and enjoyable, although I recommend leaving a few bottles aside in your cellar for a 3/5 years because the development will be top-notch. The aftertaste is long, fresh, and slightly bitter (citrus peel).

2. Boas Vides, Red, 2022

This is Antonio's most representative wine, his Boas Vides. It comes from three historic vineyards (see the previous post for a more in-depth understanding of the nature of these vineyards): San Lourenzo da Pena, Peitieiros, and Formigueira. A wine that seeks to revive the memory of the ancient historic wines of Ribeiro. Among the varieties that give life to this cuvée are Carabuñeira (40%; also known as Touriga Nacional, although in Galicia there is one more carabuña (seed) than in its Portuguese counterpart), Caiño Longo (30%), Espadeiro (20%), and 10% of other varieties such as Alicante, Sousón, Brancellao, and Zamarrica (also known as Caíño da Terra).

This is a red that ferments with some whole bunch (around 30%). It does it spontaneously in a stainless steel tank. Antonio pumps over the wine daily for eight days to sink the skins and allow them to come into contact with the must. He then leaves it for 12 months in the same tank (where it will undergo malolactic fermentation) before resting it for six months in 500L French oak barrels (used twice).

Despite 2022 being one of the hottest years in living memory, and despite having waited for the return of September rains to achieve phenolic ripeness rather than a semi-dehydrated one, this vintage's profile is incredibly bright. Aromatically, it's a feast of cherries, wild berries, and plums. It's loaded with seductive herbal nuances (bayleaf, eucalyptus, fennel tops) and quite a bit of spice (black pepper, clove, aniseeds). The palate is fluid, silky, and overwhelmingly energetic. There are hints of the oak aging (cinnamon, bark) that don't dominate the overall balance (it might be advisable to let it settle a little longer in the bottle), and an addictive bitterness reminiscent of grapefruit. 2,650 bottles were produced.

3. Mirando Ao Chao, BraCal, 2022

This wine is Antonio's 'Grand Cru', of which he only produced 560 bottles. It's a Single Vineyard cuvée sources from grapes coming exclusively from San Lourenzo da Pena, and it blends only two varieties: Brancellao (35%) and Caíño Longo (65%). Two antagonistic varieties that complement each other with incredible sensitivity. We saw this with the 2019 BraCal, and we can see the potential for this 2022, as it shows a stratospheric aging potential.

The winemaking process is almost identical to that of Boas Vides, with the difference that the punching down and pumping over last only 5 days. The rest of the wine also ferments and rests in stainless steel for 12 months before being transferred to a 500L barrel, where it will remain for another 6 months. The wine will finally return to the stainless steel vat for about two months before bottling to decant naturally by gravity. It results in a elegantly perfumed wine, a cocktail of raspberries, wild strawberries, orange peel, pine, roses, and violet caramel. It has more substance and weight on the palate than Boas Vides, and its acidity is well-integrated. The tannins still need to be tamed over time, but they give it a nice, silky, yet not harsh grip. The aftertaste is long-lasting, leaving a pleasantly warm sensation with herbal nuances (bayleaf, fennel, ferns).

If you want to purchase any boxes, please do not hesitate on sending us an email with the ones you're interested into and we'll forward you more details: info@fionwines.co.uk

Miguel Crunia 

Director at Fìon, Edinburgh

Interviewed by Decanter

#7 Harper's 50 Top Sommeliers UK 2024

Some highlights from Antonio's visit to Scotland last November: