VARIETIES (source: CVRDão) .
Alfrocheiro: Cultivated almost exclusively in Dão, this is a mysterious variety, as it is only mentioned after the phylloxera crisis (late 19th century). Its origin is not known exactly, although it is speculated that it may be foreign.
It is characterized by a small, sometimes compact bunch, which has small, uniform berries and a heterogeneous skin, predominantly black-blue. The pulp, not colored, is soft and juicy, with a characteristic taste. This variety has a regular production and medium maturation, contributing to the excellent balance between acids, sugar and tannins and good color of the wines, at the same time giving them fruity and fine aromas, reminiscent of very ripe strawberries, which gain complexity over time. of years.
Touriga-nacional: The fame of Dão wines is largely due to this variety, which, in the past, before the phylloxeric crisis, was dominant in the region's vineyards. It constitutes, therefore, the noblest variety among the reds.
With a small and elongated bunch, it has tiny, rounded and uneven berries and a black-blue epidermis coated with strong pruine. Its pulp is firm, not coloured, juicy and with a peculiar flavor.
It is a variety of medium maturity and medium to high production, when selected materials and suitable conditions are used, otherwise it is low.
It gives wines with an intense red color, with violet hues, when young. The aromas are intense, of high complexity, of very ripe black fruits, with something wild, wild (blackberries, lavender, lavender, pine needles, rock rose).
In the mouth it is full, full-bodied, persistent, robust, tannin, very fruity when young. It has high potential for prolonged aging, acquiring at that time an unmistakable elegance, aroma and velvety flavor.
Aragonez (Tinta-Roriz): Very productive variety with medium maturity. Its bunch is large and open and contains berries of heterogeneous size, with a slightly flattened shape and medium thick epidermis, black-blue in color with strong bloom.
In turn, the pulp, not colored, is juicy, soft and has its own flavor. In wines where there is a good percentage, it intensifies the aromas of ripe fruit, gives a lot of color and good alcohol levels. The excellent balance marked by the quality of its tannins is notorious, as well as the balance of body and acidity, resulting in harmonious and very elegant wines, with a high aging potential.
Encruzado: Until now this variety is practically only grown in the Dão region, where it has the primacy among the white varieties. Its bunch is small and moderately compact, the berries are medium, heterogeneous and slightly flattened and its epidermis is yellowish green, with medium bud.
The pulp, in turn, has its own flavor, it is soft and juicy. This variety exhibits medium maturation and its production is regular. The wines are citrine in color, with good alcohol content and with great delicacy, elegance and aromatic complexity, with vegetable, floral and mineral notes.
They are fine and elegant in flavor, denoting a remarkable alcohol/acid balance. It has a high potential for aging, surprising for its freshness and persistence in the mouth, where aromas and flavors of hazelnut, pine nut and pine resin stand out. It is the most balanced variety in Dão.
Malvasia-Fina: It is a very cosmopolitan variety, spread throughout almost all the wine-growing regions of Portugal. It finds in the Dão soil and climate conditions that allow it to express all its potential, being therefore the most cultivated in the region.
Its bunch is medium and loose and the berries are small, heterogeneous and with a yellowish green epidermis with medium bloom. Maturation is early.
It makes it possible to obtain citrus colored wines, with intense aromas, although simple, dominated by floral tones, with balanced acidity and an elegant finish, albeit with medium persistence.
It has a good potential for aging, with its wines presenting an extraordinary “bouquet”, changing its color to straw yellow, highlighting the complexity of its aromas associated with a finesse, balance and elegance.
Mixed with other Dão grape varieties, it gives it the “typicality” and personality of the region's white wines.
Bical: It is a very popular variety in central Portugal and known for its great precocity. Its bunch is medium in size and loose and has relatively small, heterogeneous berries with yellowish green skin and medium bloom. Its pulp, not colored, is firm, juicy and with a characteristic flavor, while its maturation is of an early type and its production is regular. If the grapes are harvested at the right time, wines with a citrus color are obtained, with complex aromas with good fruit, fine, relatively dry and elegant, with good alcohol content and low acidity.
Its pulp, not colored, is firm, juicy and with a characteristic flavor, while its maturation is of an early type and its production is regular. If the grapes are harvested at the right time, wines with a citrus color are obtained, with complex aromas with good fruit, fine, relatively dry and elegant, with good alcohol content and low acidity.
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