Bairrada

The IVV cites rock-cut presses ("lagares antropomórficos") as evidence of Roman-era winemaking. The 2011 technical file says that in the twelfth century King Afonso Henriques allowed vines to be planted in return for part of the wine. It adds that six centuries later an order of the Marquis of Pombal had part of the vineyard uprooted. Replanting was allowed again under Queen Maria I. The IVV adds royal protection under João I and João III. António Augusto de Aguiar set the region's limits in 1867. Scholars link the name Bairrada to "barro", the clay that dominates its soils.

The current specification says the reputation of the wines was established in the nineteenth century. In 1890 Bairrada produced the first sparkling wine made on a commercial scale in Portugal. The CVB calls it the country's oldest sparkling-wine region and says it has used the classic method since that year. The present rules rest on Portaria 212/2014.

The specification bounds the area by the Vouga River to the north, the Mondego to the south, the Buçaco and Caramulo ranges to the east and the Atlantic to the west. It lies between Aveiro and Coimbra, with Anadia, Mealhada and Oliveira do Bairro at its centre. The land is mostly flat or gently rolling and generally below 250 m; the IVV says vineyards rarely pass 120 m.

Soils are poor and range from sandy to clayey. Vines grow mainly on clay and clay-limestone, in patches over Jurassic limestones, Triassic sandstones or Cretaceous conglomerates. The CVB also lists sandy Pleistocene soils and alluvium. The climate is Mediterranean with strong Atlantic influence. Winters are long and cool with abundant rain; summers are hot but tempered by west and north-west winds. The CVB gives a day-night range of up to 20 °C during ripening, which helps to keep acidity in the grapes.

The specification says moderate altitude and strong Atlantic influence bring high rainfall. This gives evenly ripened grapes, marked acidity and rich aroma precursors. It names fixed acidity, from soils that hold water in the wet months, as the source of freshness in the wines. Reds are deep red, with blackberry, bergamot and spice, and firm tannin and acidity. With age they show wild berries, resin, honey and smoke, and they can live long. The CVB says Baga grown on clay gives wines of deep colour, rich in tannin and long-lived. The 2011 file links the smoky, woody character of aged reds, even without wood, to clay-limestone soils.

In the current specification DO Bairrada covers still wine, quality sparkling wine and fortified wine. The specification lists 28 grapes. Among them are Baga, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Touriga Nacional, Castelão and Camarate for reds. The whites include Arinto, Bical, Cercial, Fernão Pires, Rabo-de-Ovelha and Chardonnay. Sparkling wine must be made by the classic method and stay at least nine months with the producer after bottling. Fortified wine is made by adding wine spirit of 52-86% alcohol to must at the start of fermentation.

"Clássico" may be used only for wines from eleven traditional grapes. These are Arinto, Bical, Cercial, Fernão Pires and Rabo-de-Ovelha for whites, and Alfrocheiro, Baga, Camarate, Castelão, Jaen and Touriga Nacional for reds. Yields are capped at 55 hl/ha. Clássico reds need at least 12.5% alcohol and 30 months' ageing, 12 in bottle; whites 12% and 12 months, 6 in bottle. The 2011 file barred bulk shipments of Bairrada wine outside Portugal.