Wine in Seia, Dão

Quinta da Pellada ★ 4.9

Álvaro de Castro inherited Quinta da Pellada in 1980 and released the first wine under the Quinta de Saes label in 1989. Pellada, Saes and Outeiro are three separate estates on one elevation near Vila Nova de Tazem, farmed and bottled by the same house from the cellar at Pinhanços, which is why the Saes wines are listed here. His daughter Maria joined in 2001 and records of Pellada reach back to 1527.

Tasting: Cellar visits Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 by arrangement at Pinhanços.

Signature wines: Quinta da Pellada, Quinta de Saes, Pape

Quinta da Bica ★ 4.6

Seia estate held by the Sacadura Botte family since the seventeenth century, 100 hectares in all. João de Sande Sacadura Botte Corte Real pushed for the 1908 demarcation of the Dão.

Tasting: Open daily 10:00 to 18:00 for visits and tastings.

Quinta da Bica ★ 4.1

Rooms on the Bica estate at Santa Comba de Seia, on the Seia flank of the region where the Dão vineyards climb towards the Serra da Estrela.

The list: Estate tastings and cellar visits arranged with the owners, plus a shop selling the Quinta da Bica range

Quinta da Bica ★ 4.5

A 17th-century walled manor at Santa Comba de Seia, once the property of the family behind the 1908 demarcation campaign, now taking guests and pouring its old-vine wines.

Why locals love it: A demarcation-era estate at Seia that takes guests and pours old-vine wines with local cheese, yet appears on almost no visitor itinerary.

Tip: They keep rooms in the manor and pour the wines with Serra da Estrela cheese; treat it as an overnight, not a stop.