Portuguese Dão Red
Interesting Facts
Dão nobre (means noble Dão), this is saved for reserve wines.
Garrafeira requires wines to be 0.5% higher in alcohol and requires two or more years spent in oak.
Tinta Roriz is an indigenous grape to the region. In Spain it is known as Tempranillo.
Touriga Nacional, the main component of port, originated in this region.
How does this style taste?
Based on 50,013 reviews of 1,340 wines
Light
Bold
Soft
Acidic
Smooth
Tannic
Dry
Sweet
- oak
- vanilla
- chocolate
- tobacco
- cedar
- coffee
- dark chocolate
- clove
- caramel
- baking spice
- nutmeg
- butter
0 mentions of oaky notes
- plum
- blackberry
- black fruit
- dark fruit
- blueberry
- black cherry
- blackcurrant
- cassis
- jam
- black plum
- bramble
- mulberry
0 mentions of black fruit notes
- cherry
- red fruit
- raspberry
- strawberry
- cranberry
- red cherry
- red currant
- pomegranate
- red plum
- sour cherry
- ripe strawberry
- wild strawberry
0 mentions of red fruit notes
Grapes
Get to know the style
Dão red wines come from a wide variety of grapes. They include Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Baga, Bastardo and Tinta Pinheira. The wines can range from thin to full-bodied due to multiple altitudes that these wines are grown in.
The wines normally are packed with plum and cherry flavors which are supported by firm tannins. They pair well with a wide range of food making them an easy choice for a dinner.
Being surrounded by mountains on all sides has its advantages. The Dão region is protected from the climate of the continent and from the ocean. The elevation also gives the wine much of its character. Elevation ranges between 600 feet to 3,000 feet at some points.
Most vineyards have small plots dotted through various hillsides and elevations. The soil is very poor making for stronger vines that can survive the shifts from cool nights to hot days.
The region is still considered off the beaten path and great value can be found in many of the wines. The lusher wines have the ability to age for up to 20 years or possibly more.