Fedellos do Couto Bastarda 2019

Cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving.

Fedellos do Couto is a dynamic young winery founded by maverick Portuguese winemakers Curro Barreno, Jesus Olivares, and Luis Taboada whose family have owned the 12th century Couto mansion for generations. The name roughly translates to “Brats of Couto”, a reference to their irreverent and unconventional approach to winemaking which favours fermentation with wild yeasts and minimal human intervention.

Rather than buy their own vineyards, the trio rent several vineyards on steep terraces on the slopes of the rivers Sil and Bibei in Ribeira Sacra. The vineyards are so inaccessible that they must be worked entirely by hand, and the three winemakers insist on organic farming practices to produce the purest fruit possible.

This unusual wine is made from 100% Merenzao, or Bastardo as it’s also known in Portugal, grown on granite, schist and sandy soils at an altitude of 550-750 metres. The tough conditions here help to produce a vibrant and energetic wine with fermentation in stainless steel tanks and ageing in old oak casks. The fragrant nose is bursting with cracked black pepper, sour cherry, pomegranate and hints of wild herbs, joined by hints of raspberries and sweet spice on the long finish.