Peter Eckert was a Swiss insurance company manager who fell in love with the Dão region, and with…read morehis wife, bought four hectares of abandoned land and a house. His story sounds similar to the many expat stories that for a while flooded bookstores. Skip the complains about local workers, fast forward twenty years, and you have a prospering family vineyard and a cellar of award-winning wines. During our visit, Peter's root shines through, in his warm hospitality and management precision. The wine making facility is a blend of modern and tradition. There is the lagar where grapes are stomped by feet, and chill rings on fermenting tanks. Peter is really proud of his Encruzado, an indigenous variety that is considered Portugal's finest white grape. It's full bodied, well structured, a creamy mouthfeel balanced with some acidity. I'll pick this over many chardonnay or sauvignon blanc! I feel privileged that I get to try both the unoaked and oaked versions (and I agree with Peter that I prefer the unoaked) of the wine, plus a barrel sample. For red, we tried the Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, again indigenous varietals that I hardly find back home. We just wish that we can carry more bottles home with us!

Awesome hour here. Got a tour of their operations and awesome wine tasting. Very friendly and…read morechatty wine maker.