If someone told you a wine could wear the soul of red and the crispness of a white, Ainda 2021 would probably sidle over and wink. Palhete—Portugal’s winemaking moonwalk—is the art of fermenting red and white grapes together.

António Madeira’s version doesn’t stumble, it strolls with effortless grace. Crafted from centuries-old vines in the high granite foothills of Serra da Estrela, it’s a gesture both humble and radical—the sort of bottle that quietly demands attention before disappearing from the table as if it never existed.

The Human

António Madeira isn’t an impresario; he’s a forensic poet of Dão terrain. A Parisian by birth, he returned home in 2011 and discovered what looked like abandoned old-vine treasure in remote plots—old vines of Tinta Pinheira, Negro Mouro, Tinta Amarela, Baga, and more, rooted in mineral-rich soils. Inspired by Burgundy’s sense of place and driven by Salvador’s vineyard DNA, he wears “natural” like a signature scent—organic farming, indigenous yeasts, near-zero sulphur—yet his wines feel anything but passive. Each bottle feels like an argument for terroir, purity, and patience.

The Process

Ainda is a field-blend of red and white grapes—one plot surviving over a century, others nearing it—co-fermented with zero artifice. All grapes are fully destemmed. A cold maceration at 15ºC kicks off an extraction phase of 4–5 days, then the cooling system yields to natural fermentation spanning another 15 days with gentle punch-downs. Post-ferment, the wine rests in stainless steel for 18 months—no fining, no filtering—preserving that sinewy texture and savory freshness typical of Madeira’s whites.

The Taste

On the nose, Ainda skips the bright fruit slam and instead wafts in with plush red berries and a floral cherry hug. It’s vivid, pure, and almost loud in its quietness  . The palate offers silky, red-berry sweetness framed by a faint fizz—like an old friend tapping you on the shoulder mid-conversation. It’s full in structure yet light on vanity. There’s freshness, but not the factory kind. Herbs lurk in the background, berry juice brightens the mid-palate, and gas whispers tales of wild fermentation. Add in that granite-born salinity and finish—well balanced, deep, and vivid—and you’ve got something simultaneously rustic and refined.

Handling

Serve this at a cool-but-not-icy 14–15 °C. It’s the ideal sidekick for lightly grilled seafood, spring salads with goat cheese, even sharp cheeses that would normally make whites panic. It works on its own—or paired with conversation that won’t last long enough to finish the bottle.

The Takeaway

Ainda feels like a wink from yesterday. This is Palhete redone—smart, delicate, unexpectedly soulful. Yet most importantly, it drinks like a secret: smooth, ready, lingering—and instantly memorable. If you think field blends can’t be elegant, António just rewrote your assumptions.