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Meet the Women Reviving Portugal's Winemaking Traditions
Filipa Pato—daughter of legendary winemaker Luis Pato—inherited her father's passion for terroir in the Bairrada region, Filipa has taken the family approach in a more sustainable direction through her brand Without Makeup wines, a joint collaboration with her husband and sommelier, William Wouters. Filipa focuses on farming biodynamically and working with native grape varieties like Baga and Bical sourced from old vineyards, some dating back to 1864. Her biodynamic practices include using pigs instead of tractors to turn the soil, and a drone to spray a homemade aromatherapy infusion of herbs, fruits, and vegetables, (think lavender, orange, and garlic), to fertilize and protect her ancient vines. In the cellar, she favors ancestral techniques with a minimalist approach: wild yeast fermentations, low sulfur and aging in large oak casks, and concrete vats. 'Everything is done to preserve the wine's identity, not mask it,' she says. This is particularly evident in expressive cuvées like her fresh, elegant, and slightly smoky Nossa Calcário red.
At Purista wines, minimalism is applied to winemaking.
Courtesy Purista
Ana Cardoso Pinto, the founder of Purista wines located north of Lisbon
Courtesy Purista
The trend isn't reserved for the mainland either: Cátia Laranjo of Etnom Wines brings a different perspective from Pico Island in the Azores, a lush volcanic island less than three hours by flight from Lisbon. Growing up in her dad's vineyards, she jokes about island life: 'In Pico, you've got cows and vineyards. Thank God I'm a winemaker and not a veterinarian!' But it's hardly just chance. Her family's centuries-old vineyards are dramatically situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Mount Pico, Portugal's highest volcano, where the unique terroir produces the fresh, salty, light wines that define her approach—such as her orange wine made from 100% Arinto grapes with aromas of tangerine and orange peel. Staying true to traditional methods, Laranjo ferments in wooden barrels rather than stainless steel tanks, allowing for natural tannin extraction.
Though winemaking in Portugal is still a male-dominated field, these women represent a remarkable shift in an ancient industry. The irony is perfect: those once banned from cellars for allegedly spoiling the wine are the ones preserving what's most authentic about the country's winemaking. It's a reversal that feels long overdue.
How to Plan a Wine-Fueled Trip Through Portugal
It's fairly easy to connect most of the above wineries on a road trip through Portugal. After landing in Lisbon, make the 50-minute drive northeast to Ana Cardoso Pinto's family estate, where picnics and wine tastings are offered among the vines. Just a few hours further north in the Dão region, Mariana Salvador from Revela wines offers tastings by appointment. End in nearby Bairrada with a taste of Filipa Pato's Without Makeup wines (bookings are essential). If you only have time for a quick stop in Lisbon, you're in luck: you can sample all the wines mentioned at Lisbon's iconic organic wine bar, Black Sheep, where cool crowds spill onto the romantic square of Praça das Flores.
