Text Ilkka Sirén

Bairrada might be one of the least known wine regions in Portugal. For many it’s just a blackhole on the map. People just don’t seem to know what to expect when drinking a wine from Bairrada. What makes it even more difficult is that the good wines are often not very easy to approach.

The region’s red king grape is Baga which is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful grape varieties on planet Earth, period. When Baga is well made and slightly aged it can fool anyone in a blind tasting of being a top nebbiolo wine from Piedmont. The whites include Bical and Maria Gomes (Fernão Pires). Bairrada is also known to produce some nice sparkling wine. But if you are searching for character and don’t want to be bored to death by sterile tasting rooms there is one producer in Bairrada which is a must-visit, Quinta das Bágeiras.

Mário Sérgio Alves Nuno is the owner and winemaker extraordinaire at this unique winery. The first time I met him he sliced and diced an entire suckling pig with these big scissors in front of my eyes and served it to me as lunch. It was love at first sight. By the way, the leitão -suckling pig from Bairrada is extremely delicious. That alone is a good reason to visit the region.

Mário Sérgio produces everything from sparkling wine to reds. He also makes some kickass vinegar which he gave a bottle to me on my last visit. I recently finished the bottle and I almost cried. I need more of it as soon as possible.

His wines are known to be quite good and equipped with distinct personality. If you’re looking for easy-drinking fruit forward wines you should run screaming the other way.

The cellar is full of these tilted stacks of wine that defy gravity. But Mário’s right hand man, the dude with the funny hat, says the stacks never fall. Luckily earthquakes are rare in the area.

Bágeiras is also a part of a group of wineries called Baga Friends that consists of Buçaco, Niepoort, Filipa Pato and a few others. If you’re keen on learning more about Bairrada wines and especially the Baga variety, you should taste through the wines of this gang of talented winemakers.

Quinta das Bágeiras Branco 2012 Garrafeira
The wine was quite closed at first which didn’t surprise me at all. I’ve learned to expect this kind of slow-release aromas from pretty much all of the Bágeiras wines. After 20 minutes in the glass the wine opened up and became very charming. On the palate the wine is very structured. Superb acidity and flavours of pear and citrus. Definitely an age-worthy wine that you can forget in your cellar for a while. Outstanding.

Quinta das Bágeiras Pai Abel Branco 2010
The moment I opened the bottle I yelled “meringue!”. This wine has this unmistakable robust and voluptuous aroma that almost reminds me of some Meursault wines. Smells a bit like somebody dropped a haystack on your head and covered your body with sweet apples. Hmm, sounds like a scene from CSI. Maybe I missed my calling as a Hollywood TV writer? Again, mouthwatering acidity and some nutty flavours. The wine is quite rich in texture but in the end very fresh. It already has some age and it seems to be developing quite nicely but could still go for a decade or so.

Contacts
Mário Sérgio Alves Nuno
Fogueira – 3780-523 Sangalhos
Bairrada – Portugal
Tel: +351 234 742 102
Fax: +351 234 738 117
Site: www.quintadasbageiras.pt/
Email: quintadasbageiras@mail.telepac.pt