If there is one thing that Portugal does not lack it is imagination to name the wide variety of grapes that exist in the country, one of these varieties is Padeiro (Baker), formerly known as Padeiro de Basto, a mention that was withdrawn so that it would not be confused with Basto Sub-region. If we can easily understand the reason for the designation Basto, since it was in this sub-region that most of the vines of the variety were found, the origin of the designation Padeiro is no longer clear, even because, if there are varieties in which the berries have over the skin a thick white film called “bloom”, that sometimes resembles flour, that is not the case with these grapes. We never find out the origin of the name but, nonetheless, we feel privileged to be able to rely on her to produce some of our wines.

The pale color of the must, by the standards of most red Vinho Verde consumers, made it a variety that was being unused in the region, which caused a large decrease in the number of plants. At the end of the last century, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture for the North challenged the owner of Quinta da Raza, Diogo Teixeira Coelho, to plant some vines of Padeiro, at the time “de Basto”, in order to recover the variety that otherwise was in serious danger of disappearing. The challenge was accepted and Quinta da Raza planted one hectare of Padeiro.

The project for the grapes of this red variety was to vinify them as rose wine and after the first harvest we quickly discovered that what it lacked in color it made up for in aroma and harmony. Aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries are some of the main characteristics of the wines of this variety that is, to this day, bottled as a single varietal wine under the DOM DIOGO brand. . The VINHO VERDE DOM DIOGO PADEIRO has been recognized and awarded several times in numerous national and international competitions, and the acceptance by consumers was excellent, which led it to become a sales success.

The number of hectares has been growing and as far as Quinta da Raza is concerned, the variety is to be maintained. Nowadays it is used in more wines such as  RAZA ROSE and RAZA PET-NAT ROSE, and the goal is not to stop there and take the variety to other levels. Stay tuned, new challenges and new sensations await us.