Dão has always been famous for the production of table wines with a very particular profile: noble, elegant wines, good choices to accompany various gastronomic creations, with high aging potential and even with some similarities with the prestigious French region of Burgundy.
In the 19th century, the export of Dão wines to France and Brazil was already significant. All these characteristics were recognized and appreciated by consumers, with Dão assuming itself as a privileged region in the country for the production of wine.
However, from the '60s and '70s of the 20th century, the production of Dão wines deteriorated, as they began to focus more on production volume and less on quality. Cooperative wineries dominated the market and the Dão suffered from all the guidance followed at that time.
After a certain “crossing the desert”, the Dão started to return to the most correct path, especially from the mid-1990s onwards, when a very significant improvement began to be seen in most wines in the region, which has This allowed for a fantastic renaissance, largely due to the investment of small winegrowers in the region where Quinta wines came from. Examples of this are Quinta da Pellada/Saes, Quinta dos Roques, Quinta dos Carvalhais, among others.
The new viticultural practices and new winemaking technologies were combined with an entrepreneurial spirit of wanting to do better, with results that have proven that the new options have been the most correct. Some of the most important Portuguese wine companies are represented in Dão, in addition to numerous private producers who have been able to obtain farm wines of already recognized quality.