Baga from Bairrada
Vintage: 2017
Volume:750ml
 
Luís Pato is at once both the king and the rebel of Bairrada in central Portugal. Since the 1980's, he has led the way in innovation in the vineyard and the winery to make excellent red wines from the challenging Baga variety (oft-compared to Nebbiolo), whites that offer pure expressions of terroir, and elegant traditional method sparkling wines- such as have been produced in this region since 1890. Pato is famous for many things: The age-worthiness of his wines, employing multiple tries to make red and sparkling from the same vines, championing indigenous varieties, and most controversially, having previously "left" the Bairrada denomination for the broader Beiras in protest for allowing French varieties to be used in these wines. At once a purist and iconoclast, Pato focuses on making single-vineyard wines with a true sense of place and character.
 
Early-harvested grapes form the Vinha Panasqueira (one of his favorite single vineyard) vineyard are used for this sparkling wine. Made in the traditional method, but with no fining, no dosage, and no added sulphites. A unique sparkling wine expressing the terroir and surrounding influences. Aged on lees, in bottle for 30 months before disgourgement. Enjoy the pure expression of the Baga grape variety and the precise bubbles and complex aroma it acquires through ageing.