The Dão region in central Portugal is gaining tremendous traction for wines that have tight wire tension, chiseled texture, and mineral drive that one would find in Chablis or further south in the Côte de Beaune (Burgundy).
The showstopper was the 2022 Domínio do Açor, Bical "Vinhas Celta”. This is not just a palate pleaser but a wine that transcends you to granite-laden slopes of the Dão. It’s magical and a prime example of why this region is gaining so much attention and accolades. It could easily pass for a Grand Cru White Burgundy in a blind tasting. Its length and depth will surpass most high-caliber White Burgundy for a fraction of the price!
You'll be lured into its radiant lemon hue. A fascinating and savory nose, mineral, with orchard fruit, creamier impressions of lees, and a whiff of exotic wood. On the palate, there's great concentration, tension, and a fabulous balance between electric acidity, granite sapidity, and a racy, long finish.
"Vinhas Celta" is just over 1.5 acres in size and planted mostly to the Bical which was planted back in the early 1960s. Famed soil expert, Pedro Parra speaks highly of the 100% biodynamic estate classifying this prized parcel "Grand Cru" status.
The leading Portuguese wine reviewing site, "Revista de Vinhos" rated the 2022 "Vinhas Celta" the No. 1 Wine in 2024! Also, Luis Gutiérrez of the Wine Advocate gave it a thumbs up with a 95-point review (below). The 2022 is only the second release of the wine so get on board before the rest of the country finds out.
95 Points, Wine Advocate:
“ … the second vintage of this wine, has quite different parameters from the previous one: lower alcohol (13%), higher pH (3.38) and lower acidity (six grams). They harvest it earlier to find a better balance in warmer years. It followed a similar vinification and élevage, with fermentation and aging in 500-liter barrels for 11 months. They kept the wine in stainless steel for six months before bottling it. It has a different expression from the 2021, and this is more what they are looking for. They were responsible for the whole cycle of the vine, started the biodynamic work, and the wine is refined and crystalline, with a sense of purity and tastiness. The variety is quite sensitive to oak, and you cannot use new barrels here, so they opted for the barrels that were used for Encruzado the year before. 1,613 bottles were filled in February 2024.
