Grande Vadio 2018

Grande Vadio is a single-variety Baga red from DOC Bairrada, made by Vadio, the project of oenologist Luís Patrão, who returned to his native Bairrada to draw out the terroir. The wine comes from a 1.3-hectare hillside plot on sandy-loam soils, farmed organically. Baga is a thick-skinned, late-ripening grape known for high acidity and firm tannin, and the cool, Atlantic-influenced Bairrada climate keeps both pronounced, giving a fresh, structured red with moderate alcohol around 12 percent. The wine spends twelve months in 500-litre French oak barrels, where the larger format means a gentler oxygen exchange that softens the firm tannins and adds subtle spice without heavy oak character. The colour is bright ruby with a garnet edge. The nose shows red berries, cherry and red currant with black pepper, tobacco and a clear earthy note. The palate is medium bodied and taut, with firm tannin, high acidity and a long, savoury finish that rewards a few years in the cellar. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees. It suits roast game, pork and mushroom dishes.