Pato Wouters
Filipa Pato and William Wouters is a magical wife and husband collaboration. Their philosophy is simple: create authentic wines without make-up, wine that expresses the true nature of the vineyards from which they come. The focus is on indigenous grapes only. Baga, Bical, Arinto, Cercial and Maria Gomes, to create soulful wines from vineyard sites with soils, microclimates and aspect ideal for growing exquisite wine grapes with biodynamic viticultural practices.
In the winery they gently handle the grapes, with minimal intervention and strict monitoring of the wine, to allow the grapes to express themselves. Bairrada lies nestled between the mountainous Dão and the Atlantic ocean. The oceanic influence is strong, and saline qualities are perceived by many in the wines. The soils are dominated by limestone terraces interspersed with sandy clay, and due to the maritime climate winters are mild and rainy and summers hot and windy. The vineyards of Pato&Wouters lie only 15 kilometres from the Atlantic, in the middle of Bairrada. All the vineyards are oriented east – which means they mainly enjoy the morning sun and escape the burning afternoon rays.
Filipa Pato is a graduate of the University of Coimbra in Chemical engineering, she refined her Winemaker skills in Bordeaux, Mendoza, and Margaret River, and with her father Luis Pato, the Baga rebel. William Wouters – chef/sommelier/restaurateur. William comes from a restaurateur family from Antwerp, Belgium. He is a sommelier champion, restaurateur and former head chef of the Belgian national Soccer team on the World cup in Brazil and the European cup in France.
Today for Filipa & William, Ois do Bairro is the centre of their wine and food universe.
Certified Biodynamic.