Dão (wine region)

Dão (also Dão DOC ) is one of the oldest wine-growing areas in Portugal with the controlled designation of origin DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) . It is located in the mountainous Beira region , north of the highest mountain in Portugal, the Serra da Estrela . The most important grape varieties are Tourigo, Tinta Pinheira and Alvarelhão for red wine, Arinto, D. Branca and Barcelos for white wine.

Climate and geography

As part of the Serra da Estrela, the region is criss-crossed by the Serra do Buçaco and Serra do Caramulo mountains, which is why the vineyards are typically terraced. The area is named after the Rio Dão river of the same name , which flows through it. Just like the Douro wine region, Dão is largely shielded from Atlantic influences by mountains to the west , so that the climate has continental or Mediterranean influences. The winters are rainy and relatively rough, the summers are hot and dry, the autumn is long and cool, so ideal for producing elegant wines. The vines grow on granite soil at high altitudes. The distinctive feature of the wines from this region are the red wines, which have a very strong and dry character and only come into their own after longer storage. Only in the east are there a few small districts with slate , where mostly white wines are grown. These barren soils allow only small hectare yields of 15 to 30 hectoliters, which makes the wines very full-bodied.

history

As early as the 12th century, the first Portuguese king is said to have ordered the planting of grapevines.