Filipa Pato Nossa Calcario Bical 2024

Grape: Bical
Vintage: 2024
Type: White

Hailing from the historic village of Óis do Bairro in the heart of Bairrada, this biodynamic bottling is a brilliant masterstroke of oceanic terroir. Winemaker Filipa Pato utilizes old, hand-harvested Bical vines rooted deeply in rare, chalky clay-limestone slopes that capture the cooling breath of the nearby Atlantic. The whole clusters are slowly pressed and spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts in a subterranean cellar inside neutral 500-liter Portuguese wood casks. Raised for eight months on its fine lees completely without bâtonnage, this singular white skips sweet fruitiness to focus purely on structural tension and maritime energy.

In the glass, it shows a pale, luminous straw color with shimmering silver glints. The nose is highly intricate and mineral-forward, presenting delicate aromas of green pear, fresh wild fennel, white peach skin, and a distinct hint of struck flint. On the palate, a "crystalline" core of laser-sharp, saline acidity cuts directly across an unexpectedly nutty, broad mid-palate. The texture feels beautifully expansive yet agile, anchored by a light sensation of phenolics and chalky fruit-skin grip. It finishes incredibly dry and persistent, leaving a mouthwatering impression of crushed oyster shells, lime zest, and wet stones.