An iconic, rare red wine from the Bairrada region in Portugal. A top wine for lovers of authentic, old-world Baga from Bairrada, truly a niche collector's item. Aromas of raspberry, violet, pine, eucalyptus, and resin. A powerful, complex, and well-structured red wine, with floral, licorice, and mineral notes.
Luis describes himself as a ‘free’ winemaker. He believes that the fact that he trained as a chemical engineer and not an oenologist has given him a different perspective on making wine. His philosophy marries old-world style and Latin-born influence with an appreciation of a more Anglo-Saxon style vision. Oh, and he is also a pragmatist! Filipa, Pato’s daughter, also a trained chemical engineer, hasn’t just followed in her father’s footsteps, she’s gained a reputation in her own right. An innovator like her father with a similar bent for pushing boundaries. One thing that father and daughter share too is a desire to make wines as naturally as possible. ‘We worked in the chemical industry,’ explains Luis, ‘we don’t want to have to pay for their chemicals!’ Filipa says she aims to make ‘authentic wines without make-up’.
Food-Pairing
An iconic, rare red wine from the Bairrada region in Portugal. A top wine for lovers of authentic, old-world Baga from Bairrada, truly a niche collector's item. Aromas of raspberry, violet, pine, eucalyptus, and resin. A powerful, complex, and well-structured red wine, with floral, licorice, and mineral notes.
Luis describes himself as a ‘free’ winemaker. He believes that the fact that he trained as a chemical engineer and not an oenologist has given him a different perspective on making wine. His philosophy marries old-world style and Latin-born influence with an appreciation of a more Anglo-Saxon style vision. Oh, and he is also a pragmatist! Filipa, Pato’s daughter, also a trained chemical engineer, hasn’t just followed in her father’s footsteps, she’s gained a reputation in her own right. An innovator like her father with a similar bent for pushing boundaries. One thing that father and daughter share too is a desire to make wines as naturally as possible. ‘We worked in the chemical industry,’ explains Luis, ‘we don’t want to have to pay for their chemicals!’ Filipa says she aims to make ‘authentic wines without make-up’.
Food-Pairing
fits perfectly with (grilled) red meat dishes
Grapes: Baga (100%)
Fermentation in wooden vats (Tonel) for 10-12 days, followed by 22 months of aging in new oak barrels (500 liters) made of Vosges and Nevers oak.
"Pé Franco" literally means "free foot". The vines are not grafted (ungrafted), as was common in Europe before the phylloxera plague in the 19th century. Twenty-three years ago, Luís Pato dreamed of making a wine that showed what wines were like before the arrival of phylloxera in Europe. This is how Pé Franco came into being. He planted the Baga grape directly in sandy soil, as was common in pre-phylloxera Europe, a way to avoid the insects that attack the roots, as they have an aversion to this type of soil. The sand naturally protects the roots against the pest. The first harvest took place in 1995, seven years after planting, and the vineyard area has since been expanded.
Alcoholcontent
14 %vol
Store & Serve
Store in a cool place (12°C). Excellent aging potential of more than twenty years.
Serve at 16 - 18 °C. Decant a few hours before serving
Critics & Awards
