Bussaco Palace Hotel Mistico Branco 2017
£145.00
In Stock
“The new 2017 Branco Místico, an old name of a range of whites and spirits, is a special white with the idea to produce a top cuvée. In the old days, they had “Reservado Especial,” which could be the ancestor of this new bottling. It has a blend of the classical grapes but also includes Arinto. In this specific case, it fermented in new 300-liter barrels, where it matured for one year, like the Reservado, but the four barrels of this wine were racked to the used barrels of the regular 2017 for three or four months and then put back in the original barrels to complete its élevage of some 20 months. It doesn’t have more oak than the regular version, but it does have a lot more complexity and nuance. This is superb; it’s vibrant and fresher than the regular 2017, which doesn’t follow any logic really, but it’s the perception. 1,200 bottles were filled around January 2020. This will be produced again in 2022, which will be only the second vintage ever.
I visited the incredible Buçaco hotel in the Bairrada region. It’s a great example of the Neo-Manueline architectural style from Portugal, and it’s linked to the nearby Curia Palace Hotel—an art deco marvel—because the family owns that hotel too. In fact, nowadays the Buçaco wines are vinified in the Curia Palace. It’s one of the hidden jewels of Portugal, because until very recently, the wines were only available at the hotels’ restaurants. They now sell small quantities in Portugal and selected export markets.
They are recovering some wine styles and names from the 1920s, a sparkling, a white and a red. They only have 3.5 hectares of vineyards (all in Bairrada) and purchase grapes from growers. The total volume fluctuates between 25,000 and 30,000 bottles.”
Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (12/24)
