A SENSATIONAL Red Wine Value

In this video, Bob Paulinski Master of Wine will discuss the Dao region of Portugal. If you’re searching out a sensational wine value, you’re in the right place. I’ll discuss this very special wine region, what you can expect in your wineglass and I’ll bring it all together with a tasting of a wine that’s a benchmark example. And if you can’t find the exact same wine, no worries, I’ll provide other options as well.
Portugal is home to some of the world’s best wine values, it has a long winemaking history, highly diverse growing conditions and more than 250 registered indigenous grapes varieties. Across Portugal, international grape varieties account for only 3% of the wine produced. While every region in Portugal produces wine, Dao stands out from the others. For wines of unique character, a true sense of place, great value and versatility at the table, this is the place to search out.
Dao is landlocked with about 50000 acres of land under vines, located just south of the famed Douro Valley. By comparison, the climate is cooler and wetter. It’s often compared to Burgundy. In terms of climate, there are similarities, but with elevation is greater and soil structures are quite different, being mostly granite and schist, often low in fertility. For me, the wine style is more reminiscent of wines found in the southern Rhone and better-quality parts of Languedoc. About 80% of the region’s production is red wine.
The region encountered a decades-long period of decline. In the 1940s the Portuguese dictator Salazar decreed that only co-operative wineries could produce wine from the Dao as part of a self-sufficiency drive. This led to a focus on high volume, marginal quality, and stagnation with innovation. The situation didn’t change until the late 1980s when the decree ended. Since that time, the region has been completely redefined and modernized, yet the wines remain largely undervalued.
If you were to visit Dao today, you might be surprised as vineyards do not dominate the landscape. Less than 10% of the landmass is vineyards. Most of the vineyards are surrounded by forests. There is a large diurnal temp swing, this is a difference maker as the cool nights allow for the retention of acidity and freshness. With a good smattering of old vines. Most Portuguese wines blends are very common, with Touriga Nacional often playing a predominant role.
Over the last few decades, the methods applied in the vineyards and cellars have been modernized and it’s resulted in a marked improvement. This is a scenario that’s played out in other places time and time again. Specific to Dao, these are not wines built on power and density, but rather a more finessed and refined style. If you’re a fan of a good Cotes du Rhone, Minervois or alike, this is the ideal wine for you.
As for the wine to be tasted, it’s from Boas Quintas, a property established in 1991. The specific wine is call Altimo. It represents a prime example of modern-day Dao. This wine is made from the deeply colored Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca which adds body, two commonly grown grapes from the Douro. In the Dao, the style is softer, more refined with better acidity. With Portuguese wines, there are three designated quality levels that will be indicated with a stamp. Boas Quintas Altimo is the top tier, the most strictly defined. There is a regulatory agency that ensures authenticity and character of the wine. Boas Quintas, is sold in about 30 international markets. This one was picked up at Total Wine.

Dao wines that I’ve tasted and recommend searching out:
2020 Grao Vasco Tinto, Dao $10
2020 Boas Quintas 'Opta' Tinto, Dao $12
2018 Caves Velhas 'Catedral' Reserva, Dao $12
2020 Alvaro Castro Tinto, Dao
2020 Boas Quintas Altimo $15 (tasted in this video, bought from Total Wine)
2020 Bergamota Private Selection Tinto, Dao $15
2018 Quinta de Cabriz Reserva, Dao $15
2018 Casa de Mouraz Tinto, Dao $20

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