May 2026 Wine Club
Hugo Mendes 'Lisboa Pitau' Branco
The vibe: Happy May! This is an exciting month for us as we’re building out our new bar space, Petite turned three years old (!!) and we’re taking over the club with an all-Portuguese lineup from new producers to the market! These bottles are by way of GK selections, a natural-forward importer dedicated to highlighting the diverse and historic winemaking styles native to Portugal. Speaking of native, all of these bottles feature varietals indigenous to Portugal, which is the most genetically diverse grape growing region on the planet. There are a TON of varietals here, basically. This crispy white wine from outside Lisbon is a single vineyard blend of Arinto, Fernao Pires, Alvarinho, and Vital grown on the western end of Alenquer near the coast.
The winemaker: Hugo Mendes originally trained as a biomedical engineer, but in 2004 he worked his first wine harvest and decided to entirely change his career. He became a winemaker, and for 11 years worked in cellars and consulted all over Portugal. In 2016 however, tired of making wines to other people’s specifications, he decided to strike out on his own. Hugo is now based in Alenquer, just north of Lisbon along the Tagus river. Here, about 40km east of the Atlantic, the climate becomes slightly more Mediterranean, with warmer days and less humidity, yet still with the region’s characteristic chalky/clay soils. He uses the climate to his advantage, making wines of juicy verve that are at once the archetypal expression of Lisboa yet also totally crushable.
The geeky details: Arinto, Fernao Pires, Alvarinho, and Vital harvested in late August and fermented and aged in stainless steel for 9 months.
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This month’s wines are some of the best food wines we’ve ever had in the club, as most Portuguese wines tend to be! Pair them with seafood like bacalhau, grilled meats and seasonal veggies, francesinha-style stuffed sandwiches and hearty dishes and light dishes alike. Have fun with it and let us know what you paired!
Album pairing: Chancha Vía Circuito - Amansara
Duckman ‘White Duck’
The vibe: From Lisboa we travel further north almost to Porto, to the Bairrada region west of the Dao. Here, João Pato is a household name in wine, known as being somewhat of a godfather of Bairrada wine. His family had been making wine for generations in the region and he was the first to do so after the region was officially designated for wine production. Her father, Luis Pato also pioneered a “three wave” approach to winemaking, harvesting several months apart to capture grapes during various ripening stages for use in sparkling wines, young wines, and ripe still wines. He also revived several native varietals from near extinction! His granddaughter, Maria Pato, carries the family legacy with her Duckman label, where she is dedicated to highlighting indigenous varietals and ancestral winemaking techniques. This ‘White Duck’ is a shining example of how delicious wine can be when you don’t mess with it! Unfiltered and textural with some real racy acid, it’s born for food pairings. Made from the uncommon varietal, Bical.
The winemaker: Maria Pato is the granddaughter of João Pato, after whom the winery is named, and part of a family deeply rooted in the history of Bairrada. She created the “Duckman” project (pato meaning duck in Portuguese) as a playful, rebellious nod to tradition with a new and experimental spirit. Like her father, Luís Pato, Maria is dedicated to pushing boundaries in Bairrada—working with indigenous grape varieties, exploring alternative farming methods, and utilizing natural, hands-off winemaking. Duckman is as much about honoring her family’s legacy as it is about reshaping it, turning Bairrada into a place of creativity, and expression. An evocation of her namesake grandfather, João Pato is often portrayed as a giant paper mache duck on her labels.
The geeky details: 100% Bical. Fermentation and stage 3 months in stainless steel. No stabilization/no filtration/ no malolactic.
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This month’s wines are some of the best food wines we’ve ever had in the club, as most Portuguese wines tend to be! Pair them with seafood like bacalhau, grilled meats and seasonal veggies, francesinha-style stuffed sandwiches and hearty dishes and light dishes alike. Have fun with it and let us know what you paired!
Album pairing: Ezra Collective - Where I’m Meant To Be
Hugo Mendes 'Lisboa Pitau' Clarete
The vibe: Back down to Lisboa to another of Hugo Mendes’ field blends, this time with red varietals! This is a blend of several grapes including Tinta Roriz, the local name for Tempranillo. Tons of punchy popping red fruit here with some subtle spices on the finish make this light red blend every bit as refreshing as his white. In the US, Portuguese reds often get overshadowed by their white counterparts, especially in regions like Vinho Verde (did you know there are red wines in Vinho Verde??). This is basically the BBQ showstopper. Chill and grill!
The winemaker: Hugo Mendes originally trained as a biomedical engineer, but in 2004 he worked his first wine harvest and decided to entirely change his career. He became a winemaker, and for 11 years worked in cellars and consulted all over Portugal. In 2016 however, tired of making wines to other people’s specifications, he decided to strike out on his own. Hugo is now based in Alenquer, just north of Lisbon along the Tagus river. Here, about 40km east of the Atlantic, the climate becomes slightly more Mediterranean, with warmer days and less humidity, yet still with the region’s characteristic chalky/clay soils. He uses the climate to his advantage, making wines of juicy verve that are at once the archetypal expression of Lisboa yet also totally crushable.
The geeky details: A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and Touriga Franca. Early harvested, super gentle extraction. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12% alcohol, serve with a chill.
Serve: With a light chill.
Food pairing: This month’s wines are some of the best food wines we’ve ever had in the club, as most Portuguese wines tend to be! Pair them with seafood like bacalhau, grilled meats and seasonal veggies, francesinha-style stuffed sandwiches and hearty dishes and light dishes alike. Have fun with it and let us know what you paired!
Album pairing: Thee Marloes - Perak
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WHAT THE FUNK?!
Duckman 'Maria Duck' Pét Nat Branco
The vibe: Here is a real fun adventure for y’all. Our pal Maria Pato (we know her from White Duck) has gone and made a skin contact pét nat! This is basically all the cool things you can do in natural wine. It’s orange and textural in the glass with energetic bubbles from in-bottle fermentation. It’s also made with the varietal, Maria Gomes, the grape that gets a full name! This is the perfect aperitif party opener or breakfast wine for a Sunday brunch - it’s basically a mimosa in a bottle!
The winemaker: Maria Pato is the granddaughter of João Pato, after whom the winery is named, and part of a family deeply rooted in the history of Bairrada. She created the “Duckman” project (pato meaning duck in Portuguese) as a playful, rebellious nod to tradition with a new and experimental spirit. Like her father, Luís Pato, Maria is dedicated to pushing boundaries in Bairrada—working with indigenous grape varieties, exploring alternative farming methods, and utilizing natural, hands-off winemaking. Duckman is as much about honoring her family’s legacy as it is about reshaping it, turning Bairrada into a place of creativity, and expression. An evocation of her namesake grandfather, João Pato is often portrayed as a giant paper mache duck on her labels.
The geeky details: 100% Maria Gomes, initially fermented in stainless steel on the skins, then pressed off the skins and finishes fermentation in bottle.
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This month’s wines are some of the best food wines we’ve ever had in the club, as most Portuguese wines tend to be! Pair them with seafood like bacalhau, grilled meats and seasonal veggies, francesinha-style stuffed sandwiches and hearty dishes and light dishes alike. Have fun with it and let us know what you paired!
Album pairing: MC Solaar - Prose Combat
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EASYYYY
Luis Pato 'Maria Gomes' Branco
The vibe: This lovely white is from the Pato family, this time from Maria’s father, Luis. His wine utilize the same vineyard sites and the same indigenous varietals with a slightly more traditional approach in the bottle. This wine offers up a fairly exotic nose and complex notes on the palate akin to white vermouth botanicals and is a great example of a master vigneron elevating a humble grape varietal to new heights.
The winemaker: The Pato family has been making wine in Bairrada, at their home estate Quinta da Ribeirinho, since at least the 18th century. In 1970 when Bairrada received DOC status, Luis’ father João Pato was the first producer in the region to make wine under the new regional designation. In the early 1980s Luis bottled his first 100% Baga wine, taking a grape that had a reputation for unyielding green tannins and taming them by introducing green harvesting in the vineyards and smaller format barrels into the cellar. Since then, Luis has been a focal point around which an entire culture of winemaking has grown. The region is now producing dozens of incredible Baga wines, and under Luis’ leadership these wines are gaining an international reputation for outstanding quality.
The geeky details: 100% Maria Gomes (aka Fernao Pires) pressed directly off of the skins and fermented and aged in stainless steel.
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This month’s wines are some of the best food wines we’ve ever had in the club, as most Portuguese wines tend to be! Pair them with seafood like bacalhau, grilled meats and seasonal veggies, francesinha-style stuffed sandwiches and hearty dishes and light dishes alike. Have fun with it and let us know what you paired!
Album pairing: Lexx - In Between State EP