Sitting between the Caramulo and the Estrela mountain ranges, in the Centre of Portugal, the Dão region has a historic reputation for its red and white table wines, especially in Europe. After slumbering for some years, the region has come to life and stirred itself so that it again is producing high quality wines. The vineyards are scattered around the region, small parcels of land nestling between the pine forests and the pure mountain air, an extremely attractive environment for wine tourism. A region of poor, granite soil, cold and wet in winter and hot and dry in summer, it is the birthplace of the Touriga Nacional vine, the most famous Portuguese red grapes and the basis of the excellent Dão wines. The red wines have an intense fruity bouquet, are full-bodied and complex and with age, develop a delicate, velvety texture. The white wines, made from the noble Encruzado grapes, are elegant and crisp, with fruity aromas and relatively complex in nature.