Central Portugal's Green Heart
- Valerie Charoux
- Nov 25, 2022
- 2 min read
Central Portugal is nestled among green valleys sprinkled with traditional villages and mountain ranges where the secrets of the Dão wine region are yet to be discovered. The Dão is one of Portugal's oldest wine regions where the granite mountains and the temperate climate produce its traditional wine and inspire Central Portugal’s Michelin green star cuisine at Mesa de Lemos restaurant.
The Central region is Portugal’s Green Heart where the Mondego and Dão rivers flow and the region gives its wine’s Designation of Origin (DOC). Dão wine is produced in a region that is sheltered by mountain ranges, where vineyards and pine forests surround the district of Viseu where Michelin’s Green Star is to be found.
A Green Star is awarded when the culinary experience is matched by sustainable traditions, where the environment and local produce are equally important. Portugal is yet to be discovered for its eco-tourism and rustic interior.
Portugal now has three Michelin Green Stars, that comprise Mesa de Lemos in Central Portugal that is close to Porto, Esporão in Évora that is south of Lisbon and il Gallo d’Oro on Madeira Island.
Central Portugal is a region where historical villages are nestled and its main city Coimbra was once the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal with its royal palace that is now a university. The Serra da Estrela mountain range is a Protected Designation of Origin for its cheese made from sheep’s milk. It is a region where a genuine and welcoming people and a glass of red wine matured in Portuguese oak contribute to the charms of a tranquil lifestyle.
The Dão wine region is also where the Sogrape wine producer is innovating with modern flavours to produce the Offley Clink Portonic, a canned tonic port wine that just won the Innovation of the Year award. The Dão region is one of the top-performing wine regions of Portugal as wine exports registered a 22.5% growth compared to the previous year, to reach a total amount of EUR 16.1 million.
Central Portugal, where traditions meet innovation, where gastronomy meets nature, is a region where Portugal’s Green Heart meets sustainability for future generations.
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