Text João Pedro de Carvalho | Translation Jani Dunne

We are back in Caves São João cellar to talk about the wine whose profile may be described as the most classic of all Bairrada, Frei João. We must thus travel back to the 50s to revive our memory, when the duo Luís and Alberto Costa decided to start selecting, acquiring and ageing great-quality wines in the company cellar. Those wines paved the way for iconic brands such as Porta dos Caveleiros, in 1963, or the first Caves São João Reserva Particular (private reserve), in 1945. In 1960, they launched the first Bairrada, Frei João, whose name pays tribute to Carmelite friar Frei João Baptista (Convent of Santa Cruz do Buçaco), one of the first to plant vineyards in that region.

The first Frei João wines were made from blends bought by the two Costa brothers off producers in the region. Two of the main producers in the region at the time were Adega Cooperativa (cooperative winery) of Mogofres and Cantanhede. The Frei João Reserva, still in a burgundy bottle, was born from the 1963 harvest and had the talent to establish its profile as the most classic in all of Bairrada. Factors such as categorisation and the important geographic consistency of the blends bought every year were decisive, for example the vinification, where fermentation using a stalk was a fact, and contributed to establishing a classic profile throughout the decades to represent the best in the region. In a way, we watched a revolution happen in the 70s, which was evident in the wines’ profiles, as the Frei João bottle changed into a Bordeaux mixture, or even the region itself, with the designation of the Bairrada region being made official in 1979. In 1972, Quinta do Poço do Lobo estate was acquired, which started contributing to the blends with its own production, later joined by blends from Vilarinho do Bairro in gradually bigger quantities.

Only in Caves São João is it possible to take a walk down the history of a Bairrada icon. A magical place that grants us this big privilege of tasting wines over 40 years old that are still in perfect shape, and which do not show signs of decadence or exhaustion, providing true moments of glory in the tasting; on par with some of the best wines from Portugal and from the world.

Frei João Reserva 1966 Magnum – Photo by João Pedro de Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Frei João Branco 1974 – Photo by João Pedro de Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Frei João White 1990 – Photo by João Pedro de Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Frei João Branco 1966: Almost half-a-century old, with fantastic complexity, very sealed and begging to be decanted, serious, with freshness and depth, cleansed with resin, a honey-sweet tone, vegetal, white fruit, lovely silkiness, and with nuts standing out. On the mouth, a lot of freshness bonds with a light silky touch, involving the always very cohesive, tense blend with a finish that reveals surprising mineral austerity.

Frei João Branco 1974: A huge surprise, breathtaking at every level, and I believe it may be one of the best Bairrada wines ever tasted until this moment in time. An enormously complex aroma, yellow flowers, honey-sweet notes, phosphorus, vegetal, and a less intense and more refined nutty tone. An engaging mouth with very lively acidity, very present and lively white-pulp fruits, long and persistent, large, deep, showing guts and making its presence well noticed.

Frei João White 1990: At first, what I can say is that time has not had an effect on it; tense, nervous, full of guts, with notes of resin and Esteva wine, white fruit still present. A lot of energy with cutting acidity on a tenser flow through the mouth, while still proving austere and with a lot to live for.

Frei João White 1988 – Photo by João Pedro de Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Frei João Reserva 1980 – Photo by João Pedro de Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Frei João Reserva 1966 Magnum: A compulsory wine to know about and to taste. A huge red that oozes Bairrada out of every pore. It owns great complexity from where the fruit (cherries, raspberries) still emerge with a slight hint of ripeness and a lot of liqueur… delicious, cocoa, box of cigars, black tea conveying a feeling of dryness. A luxurious mouth, amplitude, freshness, grit, great presence, and a refreshing fruity taste, a lot of class in a long and spicy finish.

Frei João Reserva 1980: A beautiful red full of freshness and youth, broad complexity marked by the round and acidic fruit (wild berries) with hints of pine needles, caramel, coffee, Esteva wine, cohesive, broad, and very structured, full of vigour yet with great finesse. The mouth has strong flavours, fabulous acidity, and a long finish.

You can read more about Caves São João here.

Contacts
S. João da Azenha, Ap-1, Anadia
3781-901, Avelãs de Caminho
Frei João
Porta dos Cavaleiros
Tel: (+351) 234 743 118
Fax: (+351) 234 743 000
E-mail: geral@cavessaojoao.com
Website: www.cavessaojoao.com