Maria Pato | Duckman
Maria Pato | Duckman

Fun fact: pato means duck in Portuguese. The project is led by Maria João Pato, granddaughter of João Pato and daughter of Bairrada heavyweight Luís Pato. Duckman is Maria’s space to play within that legacy, loosening the rules without losing the plot. Part art project, part tribute, the wines nod to her grandfather (reborn on the labels as a gloriously surreal pink duck). Everything is rooted in Bairrada: indigenous grape varieties, fruit drawn from sandy soils in Amoreira da Gândara and chalky-clay sites in Óis do Bairro, shaped by the region’s Atlantic pull. Considered farming and hands-off winemaking make for practically untouched wines that are unfussy and striking all at once.