Barbeito Madeira

About Barbeito Madeira

Vinhos Barbeito is one of Madeira's most respected wine houses, known for handcrafted wines with deep respect for the island's classical roots. The house produces some of the most sought-after Madeira wines on the market and has, across three generations, held to a philosophy that true quality demands time and patience.

History & Background

Vinhos Barbeito was founded in 1946 by Mário Barbeito de Vasconcelos, at a time when the Madeira industry had ground almost to a halt because of the Second World War. Mário believed in the future and in the idea that the value of true Madeira could only rise as production of young vintages declined. His daughter Manuela gradually took over the business in the 1970s, and in the mid-1990s she began handing the reins to her son Ricardo Freitas, who brought fresh energy and deep respect for the classical roots into the house.

Production & Style

Barbeito's wines are made using traditional Madeira methods, where the wine is heated and oxidised over long periods to achieve the characteristic complex, lightly caramelised style. Ricardo Freitas's craftsmanship earned him Portugal's Winemaker of the Year in 2010, and Barbeito's 20-year-old Malvasia was named Portugal's wine of the year in 2011.

Signature Style

Complex, Nutty, Caramelised
The flavour offers dried figs, nuts and caramel, with a lively acidity that gives the Madeira its characteristic freshness despite years of ageing.

Facts

Did You Know?

British wine critic Jancis Robinson has called Barbeito "the Lafite of Madeira" - a comparison to the legendary Bordeaux house Château Lafite Rothschild.

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