2024 Filipa Pato - Bairrada Bical Dnmc (750ml)

Filipa Pato is the daughter of Luís Pato, the celebrated "Baga rebel" of Bairrada, and built her own reputation as a winemaker after studying chemical engineering and working harvests in Bordeaux, Mendoza, and Australia. Alongside her husband, sommelier and chef William Wouters, she farms about twenty hectares across dozens of small plots in Bairrada using organic and biodynamic methods, focusing exclusively on Portugal's indigenous grape varieties. In 2020 she was named Winemaker of the Year in Portugal, the first woman to receive the honor in three decades.

Dnmc, short for Dinâmica, is a blend of roughly eighty percent Bical and twenty percent Arinto grown on calcareous clay soils with a strong Atlantic influence. Because Bical ripens weeks ahead of Arinto, the two varieties are harvested and vinified separately: whole clusters are gently pressed, then fermented spontaneously with native yeasts, mostly in tank with a small portion in old French oak. The wine rests on its lees before blending and bottling, a process meant to build texture without masking the site's natural character.

This white shows bright citrus and almond aromas with a touch of cream and flinty minerality. The palate is generous and textured, balanced by lively acidity and a long, saline finish. It pairs well with shellfish, roast chicken, or soft cheeses.