Bical

An important Bairrada white with good acidity, well suited to sparkling wine. Called Borrado das Moscas (“fly droppings”) in the Dão, for its speckled skin.

In the glassPeach, apricot, fresh acidity.

Wines made with Bical

Dão White

White

Dão DOC Branco

Textured, age-worthy whites built on Encruzado, often fermented or aged in oak. Some of Portugal’s finest dry whites.

Critics: up to 92 pts

Bairrada Sparkling

Sparkling

Espumante Bairrada

Bairrada is the centre of Portuguese traditional-method sparkling wine, made by second fermentation in bottle. Styles range from crisp whites to Baga-based blanc de noirs and rosé.

Producers to try

Luís Pato

Óis do Bairro, Anadia · Bairrada

A Bairrada icon nicknamed “Mr Baga”. Experimented with taming Baga’s tannins and makes Pé Franco from ungrafted vines planted in sand.

Filipa Pato & William Wouters

Óis do Bairro · Bairrada

Luís Pato’s daughter and her husband make light-touch, biodynamic wines under the motto “authentic wines without make-up”.

Quinta das Bágeiras

Fogueira, Anadia · Bairrada

A traditional family estate making long-lived Baga Garrafeiras in old lagares and crisp, bone-dry sparkling wines.

Buçaco Palace Hotel

Mata do Buçaco · Bairrada, Dão

The neo-Manueline palace hotel in the Buçaco forest has made its own legendary, very long-lived red and white wines for over a century, traditionally served only at its own hotels.