Luís Pato
King of Baga, rebel and legendary winemaker
Luis Pato is considered by experts to be the king of Baga, a grape variety that he has significantly protected from extinction through his convictions and actions and has given it a new renaissance.
The son of a winemaking dynasty becomes a chemical engineer and ultimately uses all of his know-how to transform Portugal's wine landscape.
Luis Pato, a trained chemical engineer, comes from a full-blooded winemaking family with a family tradition dating back to the 18th century.
In the 1980s, Luis earned the reputation of being a “rebel winemaker” and pioneer in the Bairrada region between Porto and Lisbon thanks to innovative techniques and his belief in the indigenous grape variety Baga. With the help of his insights into the New World (chemical engineer), he looks at the Old World of vinification with special eyes and changes the rules of the game with each new vintage through his willingness to experiment.
Today, he is considered by experts to be the best winemaker in the region and is also called the “King of Baga”.
family time
The Pato family (pt. pato = duck) has been producing wines in the Bairrada region, specifically at Quinta do Ribeirinho, since the 18th century. Luis Pato's father, Joao, is the first winemaker in the Bairrada region, producing the first bottled wines for the new wine appellation "Bairrada DOC" in 1970.
In 1980, his son Luis took over the winery and concentrated on the indigenous Baga grape.
Today, one of his daughters, Maria Joao, runs the winery, although Luis continues to look after his vines, but especially his grandchildren. Luis: "Making wine is my way of finding my own peace. Peace is the best way to open your mind and understand the future."
Baga
The Baga grape variety (translated as berry) is mainly grown in Bairrada in Portugal and covers 90% of the total cultivated area there. The Baga grape is small, has a thick skin (this is where the high tannin content comes from) and ripens late.
Baga thrives particularly well in clay soils and needs plenty of sunlight.
When young, Baga wines are often astringent, but they age remarkably well, gaining elegance and complexity with maturation.
Luis Pato caused a stir in Bairrada in 1980 when he became the first winemaker to destemmed the Baga grapes before fermentation and then placed them in French oak barrels for maturation.
All organic or what?
There are many definitions of what NATURAL means in winemaking. Not all winemakers are certified to treat nature responsibly. So we check for ourselves on site whether a winemaker meets our standards for treating the natural product wine.
Let the grape speak!
Luis Pato is considered the great Baga pioneer. He played a key role in preserving the indigenous grape variety that is now widespread. Without adding any chemicals, he made use of the honest taste of the grape and let destemmed grapes and French oak speak for themselves.
Family comes first
At Pato, all generations work hand in hand. Mutual respect, understanding and sharing a passion for nature unite the entire family behind their mission. They look to the future with collective strength.
"Making wine is my way of finding my own peace. Peace is the best way to open your mind and understand the future."
Bairrada
The region is located in the western hills of central Portugal between Porto and Coimbra. Heavy clay and high limestone content dominate the soil here. The constant westerly winds from the Atlantic are particularly noticeable here.
wines of the winery
