Lusitanian Fizz: Quinta das Bágeiras Bruto Natural Rosé 2010, Bairrada

Quinta das Bágeiras is situated in the mostly misjudged viticulture area of Bairrada. It was established in the early 1990s by winemaker Màrio Sérgio Alves Nuno. Besides his traditional and impressing still wines this Quinta acquired a certain reputation for its espumantes. My recently tasted sparkling was made of Baga (is the typical Bairrada grape varietal which produces pretty tannic wines with proper acidity) and produced in Brut Natural (without dosage) style. As a matter of fact today’s fizz was my second or third sparkling wine from Portugal. I guess I can’t see any reason to complain about neither of them. Let’s check this one out:

The colour of the Bruto Natural Rosé was deep salmon pink and pretty vital. The mousse was very present as well as strudy. The perlage appeared less fine or gentle. Well, damn powerful and almost raw nails it far better. The bouquet seemed reduced to fragrances of strawberries, flowers (probably roses) and hints of sweet Danish pastry. Not as loud as its colour. I might describe it as a rather muted, simple but nice and set back nose. The taste wasn’t very complex or difficile either. I got fine flavours of strawberries, eatable flowers, maybe a bit of rosehip and just a few pastry impressions. The body seemed lean, a bit crude, pretty acidic (not so far away from max tolerability), straight dry and surly no trace of perfumed fruitiness or “girlie like rosé attitude” (Sorry). For sure a rather austere wine! At least for a rosé sparkling (which I personally enjoyed). There might have been some mineral characteristics, too. My last but probably most important impression was its very refreshing quality. Maybe good for a kick-start breakfast ;-)! 
I am definitely not a Baga expert, but I dare to say: It showed plenty of very typical, honest and enjoyable Baga characteristics. Whatever, for approx. 8 Euros a shockingly decent quality for a fizz.