Baga

Baga is a dark-skinned grape variety used to make red wines in the central coast of Portugal. It is particularly prevalent in the Bairrada DO in the Beiras region, where Baga vines far outnumber those of any other red wine variety. The degree of clonal diversity found here suggest it is also the grape variety's place of origin. The neighboring Dão and Ribatejo appellations also use Baga, traditionally in blends but increasingly in varietal bottlings. Baga is notable for the thickness of its grape skin in proportion to the size of the small berries. The vines are high yielding, which makes them an attractive prospect for bulk, or lower-quality wine production. Making distinctive high-quality red wines with structure and balance from the Baga variety requires great care and attention in the vineyard. A dry, warm growing season is required to get Baga berries to full phenolic ripeness. The variety is highly resistant to powdery mildew but susceptible to other forms of rot. A staggering proportion of Portugal's Baga crop is used in Mateus Rosé, the popular medium-sweet rosé.