Filipa Pato Baga "Dinamica" Tinto '22

Filipa Pato started her own project in 2001, driven by a passion for the traditional indigenous grape varieties of Bairrada. As a university student, she studied chemical engineering in Portugal, but she refined her winemaking skills by working harvests in Bordeaux, Argentina, and Australia, and with her father, Luis Pato, the Baga rebel. She works a total of 12 hectares of vineyards scattered in various plots throughout the Bairrada appellation of Portugal. Using biodynamic farming practices and minimal-intervention winemaking, Filipa and her husband, the Belgian sommelier and restaurateur William Wouters, aim to make authentic wines that express the characters of the vineyards. Their focus is on indigenous grapes only—Baga, Bical, Arinto, Cercial and Maria Gomes.

“Dinamica” is made from Baga sourced partially from Filipa and William’s estate vineyards in Ois do Bairro, just 15 kilometers from the ocean, and partially from other growers in various villages in Bairrada. The fruit is hand-picked, fully destemmed, and fermented and raised entirely in tank with a very gentle extraction. Each plot is vinified separately and then assembled into one balanced cuvée. 

Baga is characteristically a variety with high acid and high tannins, and its wines can take years to age into drinkability. But “Dinamica” is an easy-drinking, delicious red that invites you to see another side of Baga, its approachable, fruity character, modestly floral and spicy, and structured with bright acidity and relatively soft tannins. Vibrant and fresh, try this crowd-pleaser with charcuterie, a crunchy salad, grilled fish and white meats, and dry cheeses, such as cheddar or Mimolette. Decant it before serving, as Baga benefits from aeration when it has not been aged in oak.