Central Portugal, Taboadella

In a charming landscape of gently rolling hills of Dão, set between majestic mountains, and cut by rivers, pine and eucalyptus forests lie the vineyards of Taboadella. The Dão region in central and northern Portugal is situated on the south of the legendary Douro Valley and is one of the oldest wine regions in Portugal, having been officially demarcated in 1908. The region ins embedded in a mountainous enclave. It's protected from the Southeast by the Serra da Estrela mountains and to the west of the region, the Serra do Caramulo mountains shelter the vineyards from the climatic influences of the Atlantic. Therefore, the Dão has a good amount of rain (normally in winter), but fortunately during the ripening months, the weather is generally hot and dry.

Nature on the road from Serra da Estrela do Taboadella in Dão region.

“For us, the Dão is one of the most promising and historic wine regions in the country. Birthplace of great wines with a classic profile and enormous longevity, a unique and historic ‘terroir’ that not only demonstrates the potential of Touriga Nacional and Encruzado, but of other Portuguese varieties too. We came to invest is a region with a great history, and without doubt, has a great future.”

— Luísa Amorim, Taboadella

Taboadella belongs to the Amorim family which have been involved in wine since 1870, when they first negotiated sales of cork to the Caves de Vinho do Porto, in Vila Nova de Gaia. Today, they are one of the most renowned family groups in Portugal with businesses in many countries and in many different lines of activity.

The fourth generation of the family is now involved in wine, through the capable hands of Luisa Amorim. Their goal is to create wines of extraordinary quality with a sense of place and by respecting the ancestral roots and local culture. When talking to Luisa, we truly felt that she is honestly passionate about creating places and spaces who interact with the surroundings. She explained to us, that at the Taboadella estate nature had to be included in the architecture and soul of the project as the place is embraced by trees and so much natural beauty. Therefore, it isn't surprising that the architecture of the production site by the Portuguese architect Carlos Castanheira caught our attention. The natural materials wood and cork are in perfect symbiosis with the surrounding nature.

Beautiful details and natural materials: wood architecture with cork facade.

When visiting Taboadella, I immediately thought that it would also be a lovely place to spend a long weekend with friends and family. And indeed they are about to finish a spacious "Quinta" that you can hopefully book for late summer 2021.

We love to experience places with a quiet soul and history. At Taboadella, we spent a very calm morning and were spoiled with a wine tasting and delicious local delicacies. A big OBRIGADO to the team of Taboadella for the kind reception. We loved exploring your wines and your beautiful decelerating place.

Lunch and wine tasting in a very private setting at Taboadella

This wooden path made us think of the TreeTop walk in Serralves which is also a project by Carlos Castanheira.

Wine tasting space on production site: the inside and outside merge into one. You can book the tasting space for an event. The production site is also equipped with a beautiful kitchen

When visiting Taboadella, I immediately thought that it would also be a lovely place to spend a long weekend with friends and family. And indeed they are about to finish a spacious "Quinta" that you can hopefully book for late summer 2021.

We love to experience places with a quiet soul and history. At Taboadella, we spent a very calm morning and were spoiled with a wine tasting and delicious local delicacies. A big OBRIGADO to the team of Taboadella for the kind reception. We loved exploring your wines and your beautiful decelerating place.