Description

What am I: Duckman Romy Espumante

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 Romy Espumante comes from 30-year-old vines planted to several plots of chalky-clay soils in the São Lourenço and Óis do Bairro vineyards. The grapes are hand-harvested and spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel with ambient yeasts for three weeks without temperature control. The sparkling wine is vinified in the traditional method and aged in bottle until released.

Unfined and unfiltered.