Dominio do Acor 2022 Bical White Wine, Dao, Portugal

The Wine

Portugal's 3,300 acres of Bical are split between the PDOs of Bairrada and Dão, the regions where the grape may have originated.

The grape's local nickname is Borrado das Moscas (which translates as the wholley unappetizing phrase, 'fly droppings') refers to the tiny black spots on the skin when the grapes are ripe.

The variety is vigorous and ripens quite early, so can be prone to higher alcohols. Domínio do Açor harvests Bical very early when the grapes have a perfect balance between acids and potential alcohol.

The reputation of Bical From Dao has been held back by the local tradition of harvesting Bical together with other varieties, thus losing its nerve and beauty. Climate change has exaccerbated this trend towards mundane Bical, so when a winelover finds a Bical like this one from Dominio do Acor's Celta Vineyard, they're surprised to find a wine that 
leans more towards citrus than tropical fruits and has the backbone and verve to go through wood aging (always used). Over time, this wine will be reminiscent of a great granite Riesling or Chenin Blanc.

The Winery

This wine is from a region in Portugal known as the Dão, which became a demarcated wine growing region in 1908.

It was Portugal's first demarcation for non-fortified wines, though its winegrowing history starts much earlier, probably with the Celts, who inhabited the region and left archological evidence of their winemaking practices at what is now Domínio do Açor. There is also winemaking evidence from the Romans who succeeded the Celts and who most probably grew on the same grounds owned by Dominio do Acor. 

What these ancient cultures discovered is an area whose climate and geology work together to create ideal conditions for winegrowers. It is not by chance the region has earned the nickname "Burgundy of the South".

But the winery isn't resting on their history, they are constantly pushing to improve their viticultural practices, enhancing their sustainable growing practices with new trellising experiements, soil aeration techniques, stimulating biodiversity and other Biodynamic practices.