Wojciech Bońkowski
Master of Wine

Quinta Mendes Pereira: top Dão

Quinta Mendes Pereira: likely my best visit in Dão, with an outstanding 2004 Garrafeira.

In Dão: Quinta das Marias

QuintadasMarias: exciting Swiss-owned Dão wines including a brilliant 100% Alfrocheiro.

In Dão: a day with António Narciso

In Dão: a hectic day with winemaker António Narciso visiting no fewer than 7 estates.

Exploring Dão

Water & granite: first day of visits in Dão, an exciting wine region in Portugal.

In Portugal (6): Vallado: Leaps and bounds

Blogging from the Douro valley, part 5. I stay at the 18th-century Quinta do Vallado where owner Francisco Ferreira and winemaker Xito Olazabal have been making qualitative leaps and bounds.

In Portugal (3): Vale Meão: the new frontier

Live blogging from the Douro valley, part 3. Douro Superior is the Next Big Thing. Vale Meão, founded the 1877 by the famous Antónia Adelaide Ferreira and still run by her descendants, already makes great wines here, and everybody else is trying to follow.

In Portugal (1): Crasto: the mechanics of perfection

Live blogging from the Douro valley, part 1. I visit Quinta do Crasto, famous for its swimming pool and great wines. The latter proves to be true. But quality is never an accident.

Quinta Nova Referência 2008

A wine can be balanced at 15% alcohol, it turns out.