Justino’s Madeira Terrantez Frasqueira 1978: A Prestigious Fortified Wine
Justino’s Madeira Terrantez Frasqueira 1978 is a fortified wine that belongs to the Frasqueira category, the highest expression of Madeira wines. "Frasqueira" is a designation reserved for wines with a specified year of harvest and grape variety, produced using the traditional canteiro process and aged for a minimum of 20 years in casks. These wines exhibit exceptional organoleptic characteristics and must indicate the year of bottling, with a documented record before and after bottling.
The Terrantez Grape: A Rare and Resilient Variety
The Terrantez grape variety (also known as Folgasão in Douro) is renowned for the quality of wines it produces, along with other notable white grape varieties from Madeira Island, including Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, and Malvasia. Some older wines made from Terrantez, like this 1978 vintage, demonstrate the grape’s remarkable ability to age gracefully, developing wines with long finishes and layers of complexity.
The Challenges and Revival of Terrantez
Following the devastation of Madeira’s vineyards by Phylloxera, the annual production of Terrantez grapes remained minimal until the early 21st century. Fortunately, renewed interest in cultivating this rare variety has sparked a slow but significant revival. This recovery is vital, as Terrantez, along with Bastardo, has historically produced wines with unique and distinctive profiles.
Despite its resurgence, Terrantez remains a challenging grape to cultivate due to its high sensitivity to rot. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial for preserving this historically significant variety.
Justino’s Madeira: Showcasing the Potential of Terrantez
With this wine, Justino’s Madeira seeks to express the full potential of the Terrantez grape, producing Madeira wines of exceptional singularity and quality. Terrantez wines are characterized by excellent acidity, intriguing aromatics, pronounced minerality, high complexity, long persistence on the palate, and outstanding longevity.
Grape Sourcing and Vineyard History
The grapes for this wine were harvested in 1978. At the time, the vineyards in the south (Campanário) and north (Porto Moniz) of the island had already exceeded 50 years in age. However, these vineyards no longer exist, having been abandoned for various reasons over the years.
Traditional Winemaking Process
The winemaking process followed strict traditional methods. The grapes were crushed, pressed, and fermented in wooden containers. Fermentation, which occurred with wild yeast, was halted by the addition of neutral wine alcohol, achieving a residual sugar level consistent with the semi-sweet style of Madeira wine.
Extended Aging in Canteiro
The wine was aged for approximately 39 years in very old 650-liter American oak casks under the natural oxidation process known as canteiro. This extended aging period contributes to the wine’s remarkable depth, complexity, and longevity.
Limited Bottling and Future Releases
In February 2019, 500 bottles of 750ml were released. The remaining batch continues to age in casks, with future bottlings planned to be gradually released over time.
