Far from the media spotlight, however, a reference in Bairrada and his wines are regularly present in the glasses and on the tables of the most attentive oenophiles.
Ataíde Semedo is a charismatic Bairrada producer. He entered the wine world in 1978 in a Bairrada company with which he had family connections. He divided his work between the commercial and oenological areas.
In 1987 he acquired Quinta da Dôna, where he would distance himself from the prevailing concepts of the time and would give body to his ideas without forsaking tradition and the grape varieties of the region. In this 7 hectares project he created an icon of Bairrada, one of those nostalgic wines where Baga shone in its full splendor and that defied time with strength, character and pride. He made the property grow, built and developed the brand and alongside other illustrious protagonists of that era, such as Luís Pato, Mário Sérgio Nuno Alves (Quinta das Bageiras) or Sidónio de Sousa, gave the world extraordinary Baga wines.
It was a journey made through author boutique wines, drawing from the soils and extracting from the peculiar conditions where the plots were inserted, wonderful wines, rich and sublime, with strong personalities.
It's Bairrada that he is most fond of, where he also works as an accessory to other producers, also contributing beyond Bairrada, to projects with a strong personality, as is the case of Álvaro de Castro (Quinta de Saes and Quinta da Pellada).
In 2005, he sold Quinta da Dôna, and acquired a vineyard that he had had his sights set on for years. The location and rich soil fascinated him. He foresaw its potential.
It is a small 5 ha vineyard in the Anadia area, set on a gentle slope of clay-limestone soils. He planted 3 ha of red varieties Baga, Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Pinot Noir and 2 ha of white varieties Bical, Cercial, Viognier, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
And with these ingredients, he has earned a reputation for the very high quality and precision of his wines. His sparkling wines are of an exhilarating refinement and freshness, a serious case of quality and consistency.
The red wines speak of terroir, of tradition rooted in common sense, but also with no obstacles to refreshing concepts preserving the silhouette of the region. Made in a handcrafted dimension. With courage, wisdom and daring, it excites and snatches new consumers to Bairrada, with wines like Baga Young!
