2022 Dão Branco Reserva, Quinta dos Carvalhais

• Style: Portuguese White Blend
• Taste: Stone fruit and mineral poise, bright acidity, refined length
• Food: Shellfish, white fish, poultry, spicy Asian, salads
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, date night, aperitivo
• Serve: Chilled, 13% ABV, drink young

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

A luminous blend of Encruzado and Gouveio that opens with aromas of pear and peach layered over cedar. On the palate, concentration and freshness work in tandem: rich and flavourful without weight, lively acidity (6.5g/L) provides spine and focus. Stone fruit perfume lifted by granite soils and high altitude of the estate's 465–500 metre vineyards, the length stretches long and stays refined.

The Winery — Quinta dos Carvalhais

A benchmark producer credited with reviving Dão's white wine reputation in the early 1990s. Winemaker Beatriz Cabral de Almeida champions near-forgotten indigenous varieties like Encruzado, matching each to its ideal vineyard plot through meticulous microzoning. The 2022 vintage tested the vineyards with intense heat and drought, yet older vines anchored deep in granite weathered it well. Hand-harvested fruit was gently pressed, with Encruzado undergoing skin contact to extract maximum aroma. Cool stainless-steel fermentation preceded 18 months in mixed French oak sizes, allowing fruit to develop texture whilst retaining mineral core.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Built for food rather than contemplation alone, this white bridges fresh and seriously made. Chill and serve young at 13% ABV alongside grilled white fish, shellfish, roasted chicken, herb-forward vegetables, spicy Asian cuisine, or as an elegant aperitif. At 18 months in oak, it gains texture without losing minerality—equally at home on Sunday lunch as at date night. Sustainable and vegetarian-friendly, it's endlessly versatile. Explore our wider Dão selection or our Portugal range to discover more from this compelling inland mountain region.