The Regateiro family has produced wines for several generations. Nowadays, Casimiro Gomes (father) and Francisco Gomes (son) continue the legacy of their ancestors. In Bairrada, the wines produced by this family aim to express the diversity of the regional grape varietals and the region's potential in terms of aging and well-balanced acidity and tannins. The family name Regateiro is an homage to Casimiro's paternal grandfather, Manuel Gomes Regateiro Junior, who was driven by knowledge and entrepreneurship. When Manuel Gomes Regateiro Junior was eighteen, he started his business by producing Roman tiles, using the clay found on his land. Later, on the same land, he planted his first vineyards. His curiosity led him to France, where he learned more about viticulture the process of winemaking, knowledge that he passed on to his family. The family name, Regateiro, got lost across the generations but is now receiving the appreciation for its origins in the Region of Bairrada.
Casimiro Gomes, winemaker and viticulturist, and Sónia Martins, winemaker, Philosophy in vineyard and winery is of minimal intervention, implementation of sustainable and regenerative practices as well as preserving the traditions of their ancestors and setting example for future generations on best practices.
The winery is based in Forcada, Aguada de Cima, on the same property where Casimiro's mother still lives. The family Lagar (treading tank) is still used to produce the deeper red wines of this family. The different vineyard parcels are within close range of the winery. The oldest vineyards, which belonged to Casimiro's parents and his grandfather, are between 20-40 years old, with some older parcels.
Although wine production has existed since the 10th century, Roman rule, it was in the 19th century that the region became a producer of high-quality reds, whites, and sparkling wines.
In this region of flat lands and at low altitude, there are mainly two types of soils that lead to distinct wines: the clay soils, whose mud (barro, in Portuguese) gave origin to the name Bairrada; and the sandy soils, typical of the vineyards closest to the coast. The region is the leading in Portugal for sparkling wines production, whites worthy of aging and reds with robust and long-lasting potentials. The Baga grape is the dominant red variety in the region. Cultivated on the region’s clay soils leads to wines with deep color and rich tannins, which explain their longevity. The white grapes varietals, Arinto, Bical, and Maria Gomes, are planted on the region's sandy soils and the resulting wine is aromatic, fresh, and savory white wines. The sparkling wines fermented in the classic method champenoise, are highly sought after to accompany the regional dishes, especially the Leitão da Bairrada (wood-oven roasted suckling pig). Bairrada has a mild climate, achieved by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the high humidity can be challenging for the proper maturation of the grapes. Nonetheless, the Atlantic winds bring in cool temperatures, especially during the final stages of the season (maturation), allowing the preservation of the grape's acidity.