Fílipa Páto 2024 Flos Castanea (Bical) Bairrada
We have been coveting this micro-cuvée for a long time, and have now snagged 90 of the 1458 bottles produced! A throwback to ancient times, the prize grapes from Ois do Bairro are foot-trodden in lagar and fermented on the skins – with chestnut flowers usurping sulphur’s traditional anti-oxidative role. A fascinating lens on Bical’s now-known ability to produce laser-sharp but nuance-rich white wine, capable of long aging.
Pronounce this wine:
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Wine Specifics
WineWise Code | PFP-FLC24 |
Country | Portugal |
Region | Beiras |
Color/Style | White |
Destemming | Complete |
Fermentation Vessel | Open Lagar |
Additional Fermentation Notes | Fermentation Vessel: Open Lagar
We skin fermented the Bical after destemming the grapes fully. The chestnut flower was added as sole preservative. Punch down during 2 weeks in open “lagar”, until the end of fermentation. Afterwards, we pressed the solids in a traditional basket press. We aged the wine partly in pipa (500 l oak casks) and partly in amphorae during a year until the wine was naturally stable. |
Aging Vessel | Pipa (500 l oak casks) and Amphorae |
Aging Duration (months) | 12 months |
Filtered? | No |
Fining Agents | None |
Yeast Protocol | Native |
Malolactic Conversion | Yes |
Added Sulfur | No, just chestnut
flower petals |
Varieties | 100% Bical |
Residual Sugar | <1.5 |
ABV | 11.5 |
Acidity | 5.6 |
pH | 3.46 |
Closure | Natural cork |
Annual Production | 1458 bottles |
Soil Types | Limestone |
Vine Age | 40 |
Farming Practices | Certified organic, Certified biodynamic, Certiplanet and Demeter certified |
Harvest Method | Hand-harvested |
Other Vineyard Details | A 100% Bical vineyard from around 40 years old in Óis do Bairro, Jurassic Inferior limestone midslopes with eastern orientation to the sun and a very intense Atlantic influence (15 km from the Ocean). |
Notes from the Producer: Winemaker’s Notes: ""Flos Castanea” (Chestnut flower in Latin) was inspired by our good friend João Goucho, grandson of the pioneer of biodynamics in Portugal, Fernando Paiva from Quinta da Palmirinha.
Serve it fresh at 12-14 °C to have its full aromatic expression and in fine glassware.
Colour:
Brilliant intense yellow straw colour with greenish rim and good viscosity.
Bouquet:
Very mineral nose with a certain smokiness due to the limestone soil.
Taste:
It has a distinguished touch of flowers (camomile, thyme blossom), pears (typical Bical) and a slightly nutty character (hazelnut,almonds, pines). After some time in the glass, it even reveals more thyme and honey. It will develop more with some time in bottle. The mouth is creamy, relatively smooth and has an intriguing minerality, tanginess and good length. This is definitely a big taste teaser!!!
Gastronomic Accompaniments:
We would pair it with artisanally smoked organic fishes like salmon, halibut, mackerel, ... Raw shellfish and seafood with a dash of lemon. Dishes with wild mushrooms with a pinch of olive oil and some “fleur de sel”. Poultry oven roasted with lemon and “ras el hanout”. Simply grilled white meats like rabbit. Strong cheeses like Serpa, Queijo de Évora, Époisses, Chaource, ...
