Philosophy
Luis Pato embodies the ethos of the great European vigneron, maintaining, with exacting precision, a simple winemaking process which transparently shines the terroir and history of his region. But he has another face as well: endlessly creative, iterative, and imaginative. Just as the classic wines of Bairrada will always reach dazzling heights in this cellar, there will also always be new ideas, new creations, and new experiences bubbling away.
Baga
Luis Pato’s Baga character starts in the vineyard. Each Baga vine is harvested three times. First a traditional green harvest right after fruit set, then a second harvest in August to make sparkling wines. Finally, a third harvest is made, typically at the beginning of October, harvesting Baga at perfect ripeness to make red wines.
In the winery, the Baga is totally destemmed before fermenting in open vats. The wine is then aged in a combination of used and new French and Portuguese oak barrels for two years. The single vineyard wines then rest in bottle for at least another two years before release, although many wines are allowed to develop in bottle for much longer.