Vadio Tinto, Bairrada 2021

This is the flagship red for Vadio, fragrant with dark fruits, rose petal and an attractive forest floor character. The palate is fresh, lifted, with vibrant acidity and grippy tannins, blueberry fruits, violets and rose petals. Luís Patrão and Eduarda Dias of Vadio have a vision that how they farm their 10ha of vines can serve as a model for ecological transition in the Bairrada region in Portugal. After achieving organic certification in 2024, they are now resolutely on the path towards regenerative viticulture, managing their vineyards with a more holistic and nature-focused approach. One of our Wine Society Pioneers for their work on sustainability, our Climate and Nature Programme is providing them with funds to plant 50 native trees and 100 native shrubs as well as 30 olive trees, to sow 5ha of vines with inter-row multispecies cover crops, and to create new habitats for wildlife (including building a seasonal pond). Luís explains that they want to be a catalyst for change in Barraida and plan to host local workshops to inspire their neighbours (there are around 150 small farmers growing grapes locally). Certified organic for their own dry-farmed vines, they closely monitor cover cropping, tilling and water use – only used for organic treatments – on their clay soils and compost vine waste, animal dung and forest floor material too. 50% of winery power comes from solar panels. The wine reaches you in lightweight bottles, too, down from 400g in 2021 to 365g now.