Quinta de Baixo

Visits

Monday to Friday: 09h00-18h30 (previous booking required)

Bairrada has always been a difficult region, but in our opinion it has the potential to be the cradle of elegant, fine wines, full of character and personality.

The area is characterised by a cool and humid climate, with an Atlantic influence, providing grapes of high acidity and low alcohol content. The soils are clay-limestone or sandy and white grape varieties such as Maria Gomes, Arinto, Bical and Cercial have fantastic potential. As far as red grape varieties are concerned, Baga is predominant, on which many of the wines from this region are based.

Dirk's passion for Bairrada and Baga comes from the 90's, when he not only made wines at Casa de Saima and Bageiras, but also distributed wines from Casa Dores Simões and Gonçalves Faria.

We did not go in search of the traditional Bairrada, but dreamt of something more: interpreting the fantastic limestone soils linked to the traditional varieties in our own way, as with the irreverent Baga.

In 2010, on the pretext of an experiment with Filipa Pato in the production of a fortified wine, in which Dirk was enthusiastically involved, it was important to explore the vineyards of Bairrada. It was love at first sight. Not only was the fortified wine made, but also a red Baga, such was the passion. The result was encouraging and, in 2011, around 2.000 litres were already made in Quinta de Baixo, with Jorge and Sérgio's kind permission.

There was no turning back and, as of January 2012, Niepoort took over the vineyards and the winery, with a view to a partnership with Jorge and Sérgio.

The idea was to get to know the bairradina personality better, but because they totally believed in the potential of this region, Niepoort ended up signing the purchase of Quinta de Baixo on 28 December 2012.

It was a great challenge, but one more motivation to create something special, something typically bairradino, but with Niepoort soul.