Join us this Saturday for an exciting tasting of Portuguese wines, featuring a line-up of vibrant, characterful bottles from some of the most dynamic and thoughtful producers in Portugal.
Saturday 3rd May
2.00pm-5.00pm
Open on the day:
2.00pm-5.00pm
Open on the day:
'23 Pato & Wouters D.N.M.C Bical & Arinto - Bairrada $48
'23 Pato & Wouters D.N.M.C Baga - Bairrada $48
'19 Pato & Wouters Nossa 'Calcário' Baga - Bairrada $90
'19 Luis Seabra 'Xisto Ilimitado' - Duoro $52
'22 Luis Seabra 'Granito Cru' Alvarinho - Vinho Verde $78
Enjoy 10% discount when you purchase any three bottles on the day.
Hosted by Matt Quirk, and free of charge.
Portugal: A Land of Tradition, Transformation, and Indigenous Treasure
Portugal, though often overshadowed by its larger neighbors in the world of wine, is one of the most quietly exciting countries for adventurous drinkers and curious palates. Ranked as the world’s 10th largest wine producer and holding the title of highest per capita wine consumption globally, Portugal is a country where wine is not just an export but a way of life.
Historically, the country’s reputation has been built on two monumental fortified wines: Port and Madeira. These styles have long enchanted the world with their richness, structure, and age-worthiness, and they remain crucial to understanding Portugal’s vinous legacy. But there is a new wave swelling beneath this historical tide—a movement of dynamic, independent producers reviving traditional vineyards, championing native grape varieties, and crafting table wines of striking character and quality. These wines are rewriting the global narrative about Portugal and placing it firmly on the map as one of Europe’s most exciting modern wine-producing nations.
Much of this renaissance is rooted in Portugal’s astonishing biodiversity. The country is home to over 250 indigenous grape varieties—more than almost any other winemaking nation. And unlike regions that lean heavily on international grapes, Portugal’s producers are embracing their native castas with renewed confidence and precision. Touriga Nacional, Arinto, Encruzado, Baga, Trincadeira, Alvarinho—these grapes, many unfamiliar to international audiences, are increasingly finding their voice in expressive, terroir-driven wines. While their names may take a moment to learn, the wines themselves speak fluently of place, tradition, and innovation.
Portugal’s road to the international wine stage has been anything but linear. Centuries of trade with England cemented the fame of Port and Madeira, with the latter famously used to toast both the American Declaration of Independence and George Washington’s inauguration. Yet by the 19th and early 20th centuries, political isolation, economic hardship, and the twin blows of phylloxera and mildew stunted the country’s growth. The mid-century saw a dominance of cooperatives and commercial rosés like Mateus and Lancers, which left Portugal associated with simple, sweet wines for decades.
But all of that has changed. Following the 1974 Carnation Revolution and Portugal’s entry into the European Union in 1986, a wave of revitalization swept across the country’s wine industry. EU investment and a break from the cooperative monopoly allowed small producers to regain control of their fruit and their future. New technology, viticultural research, and global collaboration all played a role—but just as important was a growing pride in the country’s unique vinous identity.
Today, Portugal offers a captivating spectrum of wine regions. From the structured, schist-driven reds of the Douro Valley—where many Port producers now also craft powerful and elegant table wines—to the mineral whites of Vinho Verde and the polished, oak-aged blends from the Dão, there is a style and expression for every palate. Down south in Alentejo, producers are harnessing the heat to create plush, modern reds with native grapes like Alicante Bouschet and Antão Vaz, while in Bairrada, the once-forgotten Baga grape is enjoying a renaissance in the hands of visionary winemakers producing wines of remarkable finesse and age-worthiness.
This week’s tasting highlights just a few of these expressions—including the elegant, terroir-driven wines of Pato & Wouters and the refined, site-specific bottlings of Luis Seabra—each chosen to showcase the energy, depth, and individuality that define modern Portuguese wine.
Pato & Wouters
In the heart of Portugal’s Bairrada region, just 15 kilometres from the Atlantic, Filipa Pato and William Wouters are crafting some of the country’s most soulful and expressive wines. This wife and husband team brings together heritage, precision, and passion under the philosophy of “vinhos autênticos sem maquilhagem”—authentic wines without make-up.
Filipa Pato, daughter of the legendary Luís Pato (known as Mr. Baga), grew up among the vines and refined her winemaking skills across the globe—in Bordeaux, Mendoza, and Australia’s Margaret River—before launching her own project in 2001. Together with Belgian-born chef and sommelier William Wouters, the couple began a meticulous exploration of Bairrada’s diverse terroirs, with an uncompromising commitment to biodynamic farming.
Today, Pato & Wouters farm 20 hectares across 36 small vineyard plots in two key villages—described by William as their “Puligny-Montrachet and Chambolle-Musigny.” The vineyards thrive on limestone soils with small rolling hills and Atlantic breezes that lend a saline edge to the wines. Every plot is vinified separately before being carefully blended into a single, balanced cuvée that captures the full complexity of the region.
The focus is solely on native grape varieties—Baga, Bical, Arinto, Cercial, and Maria Gomes—produced with minimal intervention and maximum respect for the land. All grapes are hand-harvested from vineyards under the full control of the estate. No pesticides. No herbicides. Just a biodiverse, living vineyard where farm animals help control weeds and enrich the soil.
In the cellar, the team continues their hands-off approach, gently guiding each wine to express its natural character. Every plot is vinified separately and assembled into one balanced and unique ‘cuvee’. Their use of “natural bio” cork from a local Portuguese producer further reflects their dedication to sustainability and biodiversity.
As only one of two wine estates with Demeter certification in Portugal and a deep-rooted belief in authenticity, Pato & Wouters are not just making wine—they’re expressing a place, a philosophy, and a partnership in every bottle.
'23 Pato & Wouters D.N.M.C Bical & Arinto
Delicate notes of lime zest, green apple and ripe pear on the nose, accompanied by floral elements of peach blossom and honeysuckle. Beneath the floral brightness lies a subtle edge of ginger and white pepper, adding spice. On the palate, the wine is generous, with layers of quince, mandarin, and orchard pear over a spine of steely minerality. There’s a vivid, lemony acidity that drives the wine forward, balanced by gentle texture. A touch of skin contact, whole-bunch pressed and fermented with native yeasts, this is a wine of energy and finesse—zesty, vibrant, and rooted in its coastal terroir.
'23 Pato & Wouters D.N.M.C Baga
Bright aromas of wild strawberry, plum skin, and liquorice rise delicately from the glass, underpinned by a faint, earthy spice. On the palate, the wine is fruit-driven yet restrained, showing soft red berries layered over velvety texture. Structure is shaped by fine, integrated tannins and a thread of acidity that brings freshness and lift. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and handled with a light touch. Revealing the purity of Baga in its lightest, most graceful form—a wine of elegance, honesty, and place.
'19 Pato & Wouters 'Nossa Calcário' Baga
A pure baga made from old vines, with a complex bouquet of cherries, violets, smoke and a touch of mixed herbs. This has incredible balance, combining concentration with fresh acidity and a subtle saline touch. Shows firm tannins and a chewy, concentrated finish.
Luis Seabra
After nearly two decades working behind the scenes for some of Portugal’s most iconic producers, Luís Seabra struck out on his own in 2013 to pursue a simple but radical vision: to craft wines that speak clearly of where they come from—raw, honest, and unadorned. Today, Luís Seabra Vinhos is one of the leading lights of Portugal’s “New Wave” of winemaking, producing vibrant, terroir-driven wines from old vines, forgotten sites, and indigenous varieties across the Douro, Dão, and Vinho Verde.
Seabra’s approach is guided by a deep respect for nature and site. His vineyards are often extreme, perched on steep granite and schist slopes, high-altitude terraces, and tiny forgotten parcels accessible only by foot. Many of them are home to old, mixed-variety vines that have adapted over decades to harsh conditions. “They’re not lush,” he says. “They’re twisted, quiet vines that weather extremes better than any modern planting. Their wines, like them, are discreet—never exuberant—but with incredible depth and soul.”
Farming is minimal and thoughtful. Most of the vineyards are managed organically, often under handshake agreements with growers, and Seabra prefers the gentle competition from native weeds to chemical controls. He avoids herbicides, relying instead on experience and common sense. The goal is always the same: healthy, balanced fruit that needs no manipulation in the cellar.
In the winery, Seabra keeps things simple. Indigenous yeasts, spontaneous fermentations, minimal sulphur, no new oak, and an obsession with oxygen management all define his style. His whites—like his celebrated Xisto Ilimitado or Alvarinho Granito Cru—are textured, layered, and quietly powerful, often with a nutty, saline edge. His reds—often fermented whole cluster and aged in large barrels—are lifted and fresh, emphasising structure and site over extraction or oak.
Whether working with Alvarinho in Vinho Verde, Encruzado in Dão, or field blends of over a dozen native varieties in Douro, Seabra brings the same intention to every bottle: to capture the essence of each vineyard, each soil, and each vintage with restraint, clarity, and a deep sense of place.
'22 Luis Seabra 'Granito Cru' Alvarinho - Vinho Verde
The Granito Cru Alvarinho is one of a series of wines that Luis makes that exemplify and express the intensely terroir-driven style in which Luis operates. Brilliant straw. On the nose, high-toned and mineral-driven aromas of lemon peel, green apple, lemongrass, and seashells. On the palate, impressive weight combined with laser-focused acidity. Incisive flavours of lemon, unripe peach, green apple and green mango are at the core, with focused and pervasive mineral notes.
'19 Luis Seabra 'Xisto Ilimitado' - Duoro
Xisto Illimitado is the Portuguese analogue to the idea of a “village” level Burgundy. A field blend of 6 varieties planted across 3 subzones in the Douro, Illimitado is a survey of the schist-driven terroir in the appellation. Bright garnet. High-toned red and blue fruit aromas, tinged with wet stone and violets. On the palate, lush, but with bright acidity to balance the red cherry and pomegranate fruit. White pepper, slate and herbal aromas overlay the core of fruit on a juicy, fresh finish.
