Folias de Baco Pet Nat Branco 2019

Winemaker: Tiago Sampaio

Region: Douro, Portugal

(plateau of Alijo, in Cima Corgo

subregion)

Grapes: Arinto 25%, Bical 20%,

Rabigato 25%, Alvarinho 20%,

Moscatel 10%

Alcohol: 11%

Sulphur: 10mg/l added

Suitable for vegans: Yes

Altitude: 650m

Total area farmed: 20 ha

Soils: Mostly granite

Age of vines: average of 15

years old

Viticulture: Organic +

biodynamic (non-certified)

Vineyards: Tiago farms about 8

different vineyards all located

within a 5km radius of his

winery. One the key points

here is the high altitude which

differs from the rest of the

Douro. He is not on the river

but rather on a plateau at the

top of the slope, between

550-700m. The cold nighttime

temperatures slow down the

ripening and help maintain a

distinct acidity and freshness

across the whole range.

Another factor is the variety in

the soils. Whereas most of the

Douro is known for its slate/

schist soils, Tiago also has a bit

of granite and varying amounts

of clay in some parcels. Last,

he has the advantage of having

nearly 10 hectares of vines

that are over 80 years old. The

complexity of old vineyards

and the vibrancy of younger

vines creates a perfect balance

in the wines.

Vinification: Typical ‘ancestral’

method - the grapes are

whole bunch pressed, and

fermentation kicks off in

stainless steel. The wine is

bottled in October at the right

level of residual sugar and

finishes its fermentation in the

bottle which creates its natural

bubbles. It’s then disgorged in

January as these grapes tend

to drop a lot of tartrates which

can be problematic in sparkling

wines (explosions at opening).