Barbeito, Madeira

In 1946, the formation of Vinhos Barbeito was striking enough during a very difficult period for making and trading in Madeira wines. During the Second World War, trade had almost stopped, the result was that more companies stopped than they joined, but Maria Barbeito had a lot of confidence in the future. He also believed that the future of Madeira wines lay more in longer matured and Madeira wines of higher quality. Although he built up a large stock of beautiful Madeira wines and Colheita's, his company turned mainly in the early period to more affordable wines. In 1970, his daughter Manuela took over the case. She left the company to her son Ricardo Freitas from 1990 onwards. It is he who, with his respect for tradition, brought many new ideas to the company and started to make a new, fruitier style of Madeira wines. A style that makes it more possible to eat Madeira at dinner, something Ricardo Freitas is convinced of. In addition to the large wines of his mother and grandfather, he has also developed a new series of Madeira wines under the name "Signature." Madeira wines with a combination of tradition, purity, recognizability of grape variety and terroir. These Madeira wines are released in small quantities and have ensured that Barbeita de  title             "The Lafite of Madeira" has been given by wine writer Jancis Robinson.