António Marquês da Cruz, the current custodian of Serradinha, carries the torch of a family deeply rooted in viticulture. Since 1957, the vines at this winery have thrived in this appellation of Encostas de Aire, where the Atlantic delivers cool mornings and high rainfall, balanced by the warmth of dry summers. Hotter areas of Portugal do not always have this balanced aspect, and Serradinha’s elegant wines demonstrate both the nuance of the microclimate and their excellent farming. Long before organic practices became mainstream, in 1994, they embraced this practice. This tinto is built off the spine of the important local variety Baga, famed in this area; open-top fermentation in large neutral wood barrels results in a stately wine, with brisk acidity and tannins mellowed after the wine’s many years of bottle age. Herbal, earthen, charming — a special autumnal or winter’s red.
