Luis Pato Vinha Barrio 2009

The Vinha Barrio abuts Vinha Formal to the east, in full view of the Bussaco Mountains (the western border of Dão) and sits on a pocket of extremely chalky soils. It was grubbed in 2004, because it had more than 80 years and it was not aligned. The 2001 harvest was the last one from this old vineyard, reappearing in 2008 with the Baga grape still as exclusive. Only made in excellent vintages.
In a glowing 300-word review, Robert Parkers Wine Advocate heaped praise on the 95-point Luís Pato Vinha Barrio, calling it a silky, vibrant wine that was both remarkable and very impressive. Wine & Spirits echoed these sentiments with its own 95-point accolade, celebrating the wine as one that offers a flavor and texture you cannot find anywhere. For Portugals Luís Pato, hailed by Jancis Robinson as the Angelo Gaja of Bairrada and one of the most inventive winemakers anywhere, this acclaim feels well-earned. Pato has championed the thick-skinned Baga grape, elevating it to international prominence as Portugals answer to Old World Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo, prized for its bold aromatics and tannic structure.

This expertly cellared red is reaching its peak, offering a stunning complexity of red and blue fruits supported by refined tannins. A trailblazer in southern European winemaking and a Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery honoree, Luís Pato is known for his mastery of native grape varieties and for challenging traditional regulations. While celebrated for his work with Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cão, it is his innovation with Baga that has earned him lasting fame. Pato was the first to demonstrate that, with proper cultivation and aging, Baga could deliver an elegance and aromatic intensity reminiscent of Burgundy or Barolo.

Matching the highest-ever score for a Baga wine at 95 points, Pato attributes the success of his wines to two factors: the Atlantics cooling influence, which preserves vibrancy and freshness, and the clay-limestone soils that enrich the wines texture and depth. A third factor is undeniable—the expertise of a visionary winemaker responsible for crafting one of the finest expressions of this remarkable grape.
To be dished up with hunting meat and fried rabbit meat.
Ageing potential of 15 to 20 years.