Quinta de Saes Tobias branco 2025 - Vinho elegante, puro e fresco

Quinta de Saes Tobias branco 2025 is a wine from the Dão, made by renowned grower Álvaro de Castro at Quinta da Pellada. It stands out for its minimal-intervention approach and organic viticulture.

The Wine Advocate
RP 91

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The expressive, aromatic 2025 Quinta de Saes Tobias Cerceal comes from a vineyard planted with a very productive grape, so yields must be carefully controlled. It's also a late-ripening variety that suits a hot, dry year.

I made a brief visit to catch up with Álvaro Castro and taste the range from Quinta da Pellada in the Dão. They remain one of the best — if not the best — producers in the region and were also among the pioneers of high-quality wine in the Dão.

The wines ferment with indigenous yeasts and age in stainless steel or used oak barrels, avoiding excessive oak aromas and flavours and letting the character of the grapes and the granite terroirs of their vineyards shine through.

The wine is elegant, pure and fresh, with good acidity.

Grape: A single-varietal Cercial (also known as Cerceal), famed for bringing out the freshness and acidity typical of the Dão.

Aroma and Flavour: It shows a delicate aroma marked by stony mineral notes and subtle touches of white fruit. On the palate it has good volume, a structured texture and a long, refreshing finish, balancing freshness and depth.

Winemaking: Made in stainless-steel vats, preserving the purity of the fruit and the varietal character of the grape.

Style: Traditional and natural, with minimal intervention: only copper and sulphur in the vineyard, no complex oenological products, respecting the authenticity of the terroir.