Bairrada

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical area is bounded to the north by the river Vouga and to the south by the river Mondego, to the east by the Bussaco and Caramulo mountain ranges, and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
• The region has a predominantly flat and gently rolling topography, at elevations that generally do not exceed 250 m above sea level.
• The climate is Mediterranean with a strong Atlantic influence, characterised by long, cool winters with abundant rainfall, and hot summers tempered by Atlantic winds, with cool nights and a significant diurnal temperature range.
• The soils, of mineral composition from different geological eras, are predominantly poor and range from sandy to clayey, with sandy loam soils also present.
• The soils of the geographical area derive from sedimentary rocks, with viticulture concentrated on the Jurassic limestone soils, the Triassic sandstones, and the Cretaceous conglomerates.

• The region has been recognised since the nineteenth century for its potential for sparkling wines, and in 1890 the first commercially significant sparkling wine in Portugal was produced there.
• Winegrowing and winemaking have been a driver of economic development in the region since the Middle Ages, and today two-thirds of all Portuguese sparkling wines are produced in Bairrada.

• The wines, quality sparkling wines, and fortified wines of this appellation are characterised by marked aromatic richness and freshness, with good structure and balanced yet prominent acidity.
• This pronounced fixed acidity is considered fundamental to the characteristic freshness of these wines, which result from the interplay of soil and climatic factors with the region's grape varieties and its traditional winemaking know-how.

• The water availability, permeability, and water retention of these soils during the wettest months contribute significantly to the pronounced fixed acidity of the wines, which is fundamental to their freshness.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (caderno de especificações).

All appellations in Portugal

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-PT-A1537
• Official trade body site — Comissão Vitivinícola da Bairrada