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| Quaaaq Quaaaq |
Eyal Mermelstein has brought in new wines from Portugal. Some are newcomers - I already wrote about Wine and Soul. Most of the rest are the product of the ever-restless mind of Luis Pato. Most prominently, pet nats. Or, as I titled this post, Pato Nats. Bad puns are dirty work, but if I don't do it, a much worse offender is likely to come along.
I'll start with a few words on Luis Pato, Bairrada, Vinhos Branco, Maria Gomes, 2020. Maria Gomes is a Barraida white I'm not that crazy about. Niepoort blends it with Bical to make his V.V. Vinhas Velhas, which I do like, but as a solo effort, it's a simple, aromatic, floral grape - an alternative to Vinhos Verde. I may look for more minerals in Bairrada, but I will admit that this is probably the kind of wine beloved by writers who like to put the piss on pretentious wine geeks, and rightfully so - it really is very fun.
Now, let's get to the petnats. This is a style I shy away from, usually. I get what people get out of it, be they winemakers or drinkers. But, whatever fun they get from the style, I personally would just go out and buy a beer. The difference with these is Luis Pato is one hell of a winemaker. Even his misses are more exciting that most winemakers' successes.
The original family brand was never one to avoid from experimentation, but the João Pato project, instigated by daughter Maria, is a rollicking, hipster science lab. The Pato website is a mess, lousy English that probably hasn't been updates in a decade. Most of the following information is the product of tedious Googling. As best I was able to find, the João Pato project highlights the local Bairrada varieties Baga, Bical, Cercial and Fernão Pires. You can consider that a bit of a hype, since Pato has always been the biggest advocate of Bairrada and its local grapes (even though the house does grow and vinify some Touriga Nacional).
João Pato, Duck Ray, Pet Nat, 2021
100% Baga.
This is a very delicious wine. Sure, it's simple and gulpable, but there's not a hint of malodors and it really captures a hell of a lot of life and energy in its mellow concoction of strawberries, spices and muddy grass.
João Pato, Maria Duck Pet Nat, 2021
This is made of Maria Gomes, but it's totally unlike the example at the start of the post. It's frothing with minerals and yeasts. I like it, but as much as I would a fruity beer.
João Pato, Quaaaq Quaaaq, Pet Nat, 2020.
A blend of 25% Bical, 25% Cercial, 25% Fernão Pires, 25% Sercialinho.
What captivated me most about Pato's Bairrada whites, when I discovered them 6-7 years ago, was the totally unique nose: a sort of alien, slightly funky minerality, chalk mixed with moondust and exotic rouge. The problem is the palate sometimes fell short, especially at the high end for some reason, more so as recent vintages turned out to be low on acidity. But this baby, this captures the outré exoticism of Bairrada at its best, with very lively acidity. It's the best of these three. I'd recommend the first two for sheer fun and the Maria Duck with no caveats.
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