Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Celso de Lemos comes from Beira Alta province. When he was young, he moved to Belgium, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. Throughout his life, he slowly built a worldwide emporium of high quality bedroom and bathroom linen. He was so successful, that his brand is now present all over the world, equipping luxury hotels, and houses belonging to renowned individuals in showbiz and sports. However, this successful Portuguese man never lost his simplicity and sense of humour, maintaining an approachable and easy-going character. He has also never lost the love for his homeland, right in the centre of Dão wine region.

Most obviously, Celso de Lemos purchased a piece of land 124 acres big in a little place called Passos de Silgueiros, not very far from Viseu.

With the help of his three children, he ordered the plantation of 62 acres of vines, and a huge olive grove, and he also developed a beehive; this way, he was able to produce three great products of that region: wine, olive oil and honey.

Wine Cellar – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

High-Tech Equipment – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

He built a cellar, where besides top-of-the-range equipment, you can enjoy works of art out of his broad collection – another passion of his. Sometimes, he organises art exhibitions in the cellar, inviting artists from all over the world. But the biggest work of art in that cellar is wine from the Dão. Using the noblest varieties in the region – Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, and Tinta Roriz – he developed extraordinary wines, nowadays awarded all over the world, and exported to several countries.

However, they can also be tasted in the cellar, and in the high-calibre restaurant he built right there on the property, Mesa de Lemos (“At the Lemos Table”), where chef Diogo Rocha, also a local, prepares amazing menus; for now, they are only available on fridays and saturdays, or upon booking.

The restaurant is inside a little hotel of only three rooms, which is not yet open to the public, but where clients, importers and friends can stay and partake in this wonderful dream called Quinta de Lemos.

For the last tasting, we had before us a few wines from the quinta, all revealing extremely high quality, and an excellent image – attractive and well kempt. Touriga Nacional 2009 appeared in a dark and very elegant garnet, with aromas of fruits of the forest, silky floral, slightly smoky, lightly minted, with very soft notes of resin. In the mouth, it has a huge structure, beautiful acidity, and some freshness, notes of ripe red fruits, a light vanilla-like taste, conveying great elegance, and a lasting and persisting finish. Another 2009 wine was Alfrocheiro, this one in an intense tone of ruby. The nose full of elegance, notes of red fruits, and a few wild flowers; very soft. In the mouth, it shows great volume, delicate notes of red fruits, it is soft and engaging, a beautiful combination of acidity and freshness, resulting in a silky elegant wine.

Quinta de Lemos Touriga Nacional 2009 in celsodelemos.com

Quinta de Lemos Alfrocheiro 2009 in celsodelemos.com

Quinta de Lemos Jaen 2007 in celsodelemos.com

Quinta de Lemos Donna Louise 2005 in celsodelemos.com

The Jaen variety is one of the best Dão, and if well prepared, it creates impressive wines, such as this Quinta de Lemos 2007. Of an intense, closed shade of garnet, it reveals an intense nose with many red fruits, a very ripe cherry, notes of vanilla, and a few spices. Powerful in the mouth, it reveals excellent volume, amazing acidity, red fruits, and some smoke, silky and elegant, with a long-lasting finish. Finally, and still in 2005, we tasted the Dona Louise, a red made with Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Jaen. Of an intense and elegant garnet, it presents a nose full of ripe red fruits, rock-rose, heather, and light notes of pine tree. It’s very silky in the mouth, has freshness and very balanced acidity, with light notes of red fruits; it’s velvety, slightly austere, with a long and delicate finish. A beautiful wine ending in a tasting that revealed all of Dão’s potential.

Contacts
Quinta de Lemos
Passos do Silgueiros
Silgueiros 3500-541, Portugal
Tel: (+351) 232 951 748
Fax: (+351) 232 951 495
E-mail: info@quintadelemos.com
Website: quintadelemos.com