Filipa Pato & William Wouters Estate, Bairrada, Portugal
Filipa Pato, born into a winemaking family that has been crafting wines for over five generations in Bairrada, established her own winery in 2001 with the idea to recuperate as many centenary Baga vineyards as possible. At that time many producers were replacing Baga (the emblematic indigenous grape of Bairrada) by international grapes. In 2006, her husband, William, a former sommelier champion, joined and supported her in the commitment to focus exclusively on indigenous grape varieties: Baga, the red hallmark variety of Bairrada, and for the whites mainly Bical, some Cercial, Arinto and Maria Gomes.
Today, they manage 20 hectares of old vineyards (and 4 ha of forest and bush land) spread across 36 plots in three villages, five centenary Baga vineyards (Careca, Charuto, Cruz Caretos, Estrecadas and Fonte do Alcaide) and one 0.6-hectare plot of pre-phylloxera Baga vines, planted back in 1864. The estate is fully biodynamic certified by Demeter. Biodynamics demand constant attention and care, ensuring that the human being is in tune with the animals (35 - 40 pigs, chickens and sheep) and the land at every stage of the process. They place a strong emphasis on low yields—never exceeding 30hl/ha, and often as low as 10hl/ha—to ensure the highest quality.
Located in the heart of Bairrada, one of Portugal's most unique and historically rich wine regions, the Filipa Pato & William Wouters Estate lies in the picturesque medieval village of Óis do Bairro. They are blessed by nature, probably one of the few regions in the South of Europe with enough water (at least for the time being). With a climate heavily influenced by the nearby Atlantic Ocean—just 15 kilometres from the vineyards—the terroir benefits from mild temperature and moderate rainfall during the winter and early spring, followed by a dry summer and early autumn. This distinctive climate, coupled with the hilly landscape (100-150 m above sea level) with the limestone from Jurassic inferior and complex clay soils, plays a critical role in shaping the identity of their wines.
The region is squeezed between the Atlantic and the Caramulo mountain range, bordering in the North to the Vouga river, the Cértima river running through its heart and feeding into the biggest natural lagoon of Iberia, Pateira de Fermentelos and bordering in the South with the Mondego river. You can imagine that all of this contributes to a variety of microclimates within the area, each of which is key to understanding the region’s complexities and challenges. With an average annual rainfall of 1000 mm, the vineyards thrive in a delicate balance between rain and dry spells, which helps maintain the essential natural acidity in the grapes.
Bairrada, unlike most other wine regions in Portugal, focusses exclusively on Baga as a monovarietal. Other regions in Portugal use Baga for balance with its natural acidity but the region where Baga adapts best is Bairrada. It is the only red grape that can support the bold Atlantic climate.
Their motto, “Authentic Wines without Makeup”, encapsulates the philosophy of making wines that are pure, expressive, and true to their origins. By maintaining low yields and using biodynamic methods, they are able to craft wines that not only reflect the unique conditions of Bairrada but also offer a glimpse into the potential of ageing. Baga from Bairrada has the reputation to show extraordinary longevity and that’s another reason to commit to making wines that will continue to evolve and amaze for generations to come.
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