Description

What am I: Duckman Quaaaq Quaaaq Branco

João Pato, aka Duckman, is a character created as an homage to a long-gone relative. In reality, the person behind the mask is Luis Pato’s 2^nd daughter, Mariana. If you are confused, that’s part of the fun of Duckman.

Making wines in the shadow of both her father, Luis Pato, and older sister Filipa Pato, Mariana sought to create her own distinct identity for Bairrada wines. She chose to do this by breaking every imaginable stereotype and creating labels as artistically personal as the wines inside. The labels are beyond whimsical and the Duckman character at times seems inscrutable and other-worldly.

However, the wines inside are very real. What you get are finely wrought, totally natural renditions of Bairrada wines. Bairrada is a coastal region, about two hours north of Lisbon. The area is marked by chalky and sandy soils, the ubiquitous red grape Baga, as well as white grapes Maria Gomes (Fernão Pires), Bical, and Cerceal.

Duckman Quaaaq Quaaaq Branco hails from 3 hectares of 20-year-old vines planted in chalky-clay and sandy soils. Grapes are hand-harvested, then de-stemmed before spontaneous fermentation takes place in chestnut and French oak using ambient yeasts for three weeks with temperature control. The wine then spends six months on lees with stirring and then in aged casks (50%) and stainless steel (50%) for six months.

With moderate acidity, this white wine has notes of cucumber and lemon peel with a fresh herbal finish. It is not fined or filtered.