Adega de Penalva

Region: Dão, Portugal

Focus: Altitude vineyards, native grapes, precision winemaking, exceptional value

Adega de Penalva is one of the leading forces in the Dão region and the largest producer of DOC Dão wines, combining scale, consistency and authenticity. With extensive high‑altitude vineyards and a deep commitment to native Portuguese varieties, the winery delivers wines that reflect the freshness, balance and elegance that define the region.

Terroir & Vineyards

Located between 450–550m altitude, Penalva benefits from granitic soils and a climate shaped by surrounding mountains. These natural conditions create wines with bright acidity, aromatic purity and refined structure. The vineyards are planted with classic Dão varieties such as Encruzado, Malvasia Fina, Bical, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Jaen.

Winemaking Philosophy

The winery follows a clean, precise and low‑intervention approach, ensuring reliability across large volumes without compromising identity. Fermentations are temperature‑controlled, and ageing is carried out in stainless steel or used oak to preserve freshness and varietal character. Adega de Penalva is also IFS certified, guaranteeing rigorous quality and food‑safety standards for international markets.

Portfolio & Market Reach

The range includes whites, reds, rosés and traditional‑method sparkling wines, all known for their drinkability and strong gastronomic profile. Penalva’s consistency and value have made it a trusted partner for major supermarket chains, HORECA distributors and private‑label projects across Europe.

Commercial Strengths

• Largest producer of DOC Dão wines
• IFS certification ensuring international quality compliance
• Strong presence in supermarkets and retail
• Reliable supply and competitive pricing
• Flexibility for exclusive labels and tailored projects
• Authentic Portuguese identity with modern appeal

It is on 12.5 hectares of "land" that Quinta de São Francisco develops its project in a centuries-old historical space, owned by the current family since 1994; sustainability and respect for the environment, valuing the deep respect for the historical heritage and reputation of the Dão region, at Quinta de São Francisco, only native grape varieties are cultivated in 12.5 hectares of vineyards, where the alliance between traditional processes and technology is the genesis for the creation of exceptional wines, resulting in fresh white wines and full-bodied and complex red wines.

In a single landscape, a whole wine region. Spanning three centuries, Quinta da Alameda is a stronghold within the Dão, a high plateau encircled by ancient massifs defined by their raw, granite-edged character.

Yet, the wines born of this angular terrain share none of its severity. On the contrary, they possess singular grace, emerging from a terroir where preserved old-growth forests and noble vineyards live in silent, natural alliance.

Here, the philosophy is that of the true vigneron. Through total vertical integration, the estate acts as a conduit for indigenous Portuguese varieties like Encruzado and Touriga Nacional. Our craft is a process of restraint and sublimation, tempering the land’s jagged elements to reveal an essence of crystalline refinement.

The result is a small collection of sustainable wines that favour subtle complexity over maximalist power. In every bottle, the terrain’s rugged signature is distilled into vibrant tension, acidity, and supreme balance.

At Quinta da Alameda, the Dão reveals itself in its purest, most pristine form.

Sur un seul paysage, une région viticole tout entière. S’étendant sur trois siècles, la Quinta da Alameda est une forteresse du Dão, un haut plateau entouré de massifs anciens, façonnés par la rudesse du granit.

Pourtant, les vins issus de ce terroir anguleux n’en reflètent aucune austérité. Au contraire, ils se distinguent par une grâce singulière, nés d’une terre où forêts anciennes et nobles vignobles coexistent en harmonie silencieuse et naturelle.

Ici, la philosophie est celle du véritable vigneron. Grâce à une intégration verticale totale, le domaine agit comme un conduit pour les cépages portugais autochtones tels que l’Encruzado et la Touriga Nacional. Notre art repose sur la retenue et la sublimation, tempérant les aspérités du terroir pour en révéler une essence de pureté cristalline.

Le résultat est une collection restreinte de vins durables, privilégiant la complexité subtile à la puissance démonstrative. Dans chaque bouteille, la signature minérale de la terre se condense en une tension vibrante, une acidité fine et un équilibre suprême.

À la Quinta da Alameda, le Dão se révèle dans sa forme la plus pure et la plus originelle.

Quinta da Comenda - English
 An emblematic estate of the Lafões region, renowned for its history, beauty, and distinctive wines.

Quinta da Comenda is a benchmark producer of DOP Lafões wines. Of medieval origin, it is located in the Trouce River valley (a tributary of the Vouga River), near São Pedro do Sul. The estate has approximately 15 hectares of vineyards, planted predominantly with traditional white grape varieties from the Lafões region—Arinto, Cerceal, Dona Branca, Rabo-de-Ovelha, and Esgana-Cão.

Managed under organic farming practices since the 1980s, Quinta da Comenda is recognized as the first certified organic wine producer in Portugal.

Its winery is where DOP Lafões white wines are crafted with minimal oenological intervention, using only indigenous yeasts. These wines are marketed under two labels: Quinta da Comenda and Comenda de Ansemil. They are unique, fresh wines with a clear Atlantic influence—thanks to the direct connection between the Vouga River and the sea—offering exuberant fruity aromas, an elegant acidity on the palate, a well-balanced body, and a long, persistent finish.

Quinta da Comenda - Français
 Domaine emblématique de la région de Lafões, reconnu pour son histoire, sa beauté et ses vins de caractère.

La Quinta da Comenda est une référence dans la production des vins DOP Lafões. D’origine médiévale, elle est située dans la vallée de la rivière Trouce (affluent du Vouga), près de São Pedro do Sul. Le domaine compte environ 15 hectares de vignes, plantées majoritairement de cépages blancs traditionnels de la région de Lafões — Arinto, Cerceal, Dona Branca, Rabo-de-Ovelha et Esgana-Cão.

Conduite en agriculture biologique depuis les années 1980, la Quinta da Comenda est considérée comme la première production de vins biologiques certifiés au Portugal.

C’est dans sa cave que sont élaborés, avec une intervention œnologique minimale (uniquement des levures indigènes), les vins blancs DOP Lafões, commercialisés sous deux marques : Quinta da Comenda et Comenda de Ansemil. Ce sont des vins uniques et frais, marqués par une influence atlantique — due à la connexion directe du fleuve Vouga avec la mer — présentant des arômes fruités expressifs, une acidité élégante en bouche, une structure très équilibrée et une finale longue et persistante.

The first historic references of winemaking at the current location of Quinta da Pellada date back to the year of 1527. In that year the sum of 80 barrels of wine was paid, as a royal tax, to the local government. Centuries later, Álvaro de Castro, a civil engineer, inherited this property in 1980 and decided that he would restore it in its former glory. Rapidly the enthusiasm for the wine and viticulture made him decide to re-establish an old family tradition of winemaking, which had skipped a generation. The first wine label as Quinta de Saes came with the 1989 vintage. In 2001, Álvaro's daughter Maria Castro, trained in oenology, who has always been closely linked to the state since her childhood, officially joined Quinta da Pellada. Since 2005 (after the death of Eng. Magalhães Coelho), Quinta da Pellada could also count on the support of Ataíde Semedo, a winemaker from Bairrada, as well as on oenologist Tiago Félix. More recently, the joining of Aydogan Cift has given the winery a more international character. Quinta da Pellada is increasingly looking to make natural wines, with the greatest respect for nature, so that the particularity of each vineyard and parcel is noticeable in the wine it originates from.

Petite exploitation familiale, avec 25 hectares de superficie, dont 18 sont consacrés à la vigne, dans laquelle nous utilisons les cépages typiques de la région du Dao, à savoir le Touriga Nacional et l'Encruzado. Dans la vigne, nous réalisons un ébourgeonnage strict afin d'obtenir une meilleure qualité. La vinification se fait dans de petites cuves, avec contrôle de la température, et l'ensemble du processus est réalisé avec l'intervention minimale possible. Les vins rouges vieillissent en barriques de 225 litres et les blancs en barriques de 500 litres. La région du Dao est principalement constituée de sols granitiques, cependant, dans notre exploitation, les sols sont schisteux, ce qui confère un caractère unique à nos vins.

Soito Wines is a family business dedicated to the production and commercialization of high-quality wines. It was born in 2013 by a couple of teachers, José Carlos and Sandra Soares, two passionate about Dão wine, who decided to take advantage of the unique opportunity to explore the family estate that has more than a century in wine production - Quinta do Soito. The adventure began always having as motto and objective of the couple, the production of unique wines that best expressed their passion and personal taste for wine.

Soito Wines's mission focuses on sustainable growth with regard to the wine production and the dynamism of its rural and wine tourism project, positioning itself, solidly, in the national and international wine market and in the Portuguese tourist market. The project is based on essential and basic values ​​such as quality, seriousness, customer satisfaction, excellence, respect and social and environmental responsibility.

UDACA was born in the 60s, thanks to the strategic vision of a group of people, with the main objective of taking the name of Dão and its Cooperatives across borders. As a Union of Cooperative Wineries, UDACA brings together in its wines all the characteristics of the region, which despite being a single demarcated region, differs greatly due to its vast area, due to the proximity of the mountains, or the sun exposure of the slopes. In each UDACA bottle there is a little bit of each and every portion of Dão. In recent years, UDACA Exports accounted for more than 70% of our business. We manage to adapt our products and brands to the needs of each client and market. In addition to presenting high quality wines with an excellent Price/Quality ratio, we believe that the key to success is also a strong sense of commercial relationship and a solid partnership with our customers.

Barão de Nelas wines come from the Dão region and have an identity deeply rooted in our origin, in native grape varieties, and in a philosophy that places quality above volume. They are born from small, carefully managed production, allowing us to maintain strict control at every stage — from vineyard to bottle.

Our focus is clearly on expressing the terroir: altitude, granite soils, and the Dão climate result in wines that are balanced, elegant, and with strong ageing potential. We do not seek artificial exuberance or passing trends, but rather authenticity, freshness, and precision.