| The Pato family has been producing wine at Quinta do Ribeirinho since, at least, the eighteen century. Joao Pato started to bottle the wine from his vineyards in 1970, becoming the first winegrower in Bairrada region after its demarcation. His son Luis Pato inherited this nonconformist and pioneer spirit and in 1980 produces his first wine, a pure Baga from an exceptional quality and absolute rareness that is sought by appreciators as a treasure. In 1985 begins 2 revolutions at Bairrada: destems Baga grapes and matures the wine in new French oak casks. In 1988 he plants Baga from ungrafted vines to understand pre-phyloxera wines and produces the first Vinhas Velhas’ wine from Portugal. In 1990 participates, for the first time, as a judge at International Wine Challenge, a contest that he assumes as a tasting school and a guidance that shows him new wines and the volatility of the consumers’ taste. In 1995 produces wines from single vineyard: Vinha Pan, Vinha Barrosa and Quinta do Ribeirinho Pe Franco. In 1998 he buys Vinha Formal to produce his top white wine from single vineyard. In 1999, by personal choice, leaves DOC denomination, and labels his wines as Regional Beiras. In 2001 he makes his first 1/2harvest of precision», picking from the same vineyard at the end of August to the production of the sparkling wine, and at the end of September to the production of a more concentrated red wine. In 2005, he makes his first wine with his daughter Filipa, the FLP, using the cryo-extraction method. In 2008 he presents his first sparkling wine from single vineyard, the Vinha Formal, from Bical and Touriga Nacional. In 2009 he produces his first natural sweet wines (White, Rose and Red) that he calls Abafado Molecular. In 2010 he creates Informal and Quinta do Moinho, white sparkling wines from Baga grape harvested from the first picking of a single vineyard: Informal is from Vinha Pan and Quinta do Moinho from homonymous vineyard. In 2011 appears Fernao Pires, the first red from white grape, with 94% Maria Gomes (aka Fernao Pires) and 6% Baga’s skins. |
