Between cheeses and wines: the discoveries by Quinta de Lemos, in the Dão region

Silgueiros is a friendly parish located in the municipality of Viseu, right in the center of Portugal, in the Dão sub-region. Throughout the city we come across the charm of a medieval atmosphere, with streets filled with old houses and palaces that were once owned by the nobility.

Located 100 km from the Spanish border and about 325 km from the capital LisbonViseu still shows us buildings lined with granite stones and tree-lined squares and gardens, such as in Largo da Sé, home of the Igreja de Misericórdia de Viseu.

Thus, it is in the midst of this historical environment that the Quinta de Lemos , a counterpoint to all the aspects mentioned above. When we arrive at the property, our eyes already jump to the main building, a super modern and bold construction – impossible not to comment on its architecture.

The building was designed by the architect Carvalho de Araújo at the request of the Celso de Lemos group, and the initial plan was just the concept of a refined restaurant.

From the idea was born Mesa de Lemos, now starred with a Michelin star but also dormitories and common spaces were created so that guests could experience all that this region has in terms of calm, gastronomy and, of course, wines.

And the result worked: right from the outside, we can already see that the construction fits perfectly into the landscape, which follows the topography of the land. Its structure was defined from the main points of view over the vineyards, with natural light as one of the protagonists.

Light enters the building from the large glass windows that surround the entire building, and go from floor to ceiling. When we are in the vines right in front of the building, we can see that the glass reflects the clouds and the sky, creating an interesting harmony.

Inside, we have a shock of modernity: a huge stone welcomes us inside and an informal reception features concrete slabs. In fact, concrete and straight lines predominate, and it is inevitable that we do not notice the contrast with the landscape outside.

Sleep in a Michelin Restaurant

Interestingly, the space, in addition to the restaurant, has seven rooms, which are open only to guests. I say that those who sleep here literally wake up inside a starred restaurant.

As part of the recordings of CNN Travel & Gastronomy , I was able to stay overnight on Thursday. But what’s it like staying here? When we open the shutter and see the view, we understand what the design means.

The rooms also follow the construction line: all with exposed concrete, they are spacious, have bathtubs and sinks made of large pieces of granite stones and guarantee incredible views of nature with the large windows – some rooms even have a terrace with a small deck that opens onto the lawn.

As the region dictates, the place also has spaces for wine tasting. In addition to more exclusive experiences for guests, the farm is also open to the general public, as is its restaurant.

Free winery tours to more personalized programs such as tastings, walking trails and picnics can be combined with administration – the winery and shop are open every weekday and Saturday.

The restaurant: Mesa de Lemos

Open to the general public, the Lemos table it’s like a celebration of life around a good table with excellent wines. In 2019, he was awarded a Michelin star, a fact that was repeated in 2020 and 2021.

native to the region, the chef Diogo Rocha is the one who commands the pots and prints the simple but refined Portuguese identity, which characterizes the biggest identity of the house.

At the table, he explains to me that everything in the restaurant has to have a strong presence of Portugal . Caviar, foie gras and truffles, for example, are delicious delicacies, but they are not on the menu. The reason? “They are not Portuguese”.

Based on sustainable gastronomy and centered on seasonal flavors, in which the ingredients are treated in their purest state, the restaurant uses much of the property’s own raw material.

We can then find vegetables, vegetables and goats from our own production at the table, as well as wines and olive oils, all from Quinta de Lemos – the presentation of the dishes is even made on ceramic supports made in our own studio.

From the kitchen come three types of tasting menus : the eight-stroke (135 €), the six-stroke (105 €) and the one for children (40 €), where the first two can be paired with wines for €50 and €30, respectively. On my visit, I was able to make a trip through the products of the land, fish, seafood and red meat.

For starters, carrots were used in a variety of ways: carrot sandwich, purple carrot soup with orange, roasted carrot ice cream and carrot yeast cake. Cod, mussels and kid still followed during dinner.

wines and oils

Speaking of wines, Quinta de Lemos creates drinks made from native grape varieties in the region. The vineyards, where we can walk alongside them through the vineyards, are not irrigated, which makes them totally at the mercy of the Dão climate, which gives the peculiar annual character of each wine.

Altogether, the farm’s production amounts to around 100,000 bottles a year, and we are blessed with red, white, rosé and sparkling wines.

Among the reds, monovarieties and blends make up the brand’s portfolio – it is worth noting that the Touriga Nacional It is one of the most celebrated here.

oils are also produced by the brand. A seven-hectare olive grove with around 2,500 olive trees forms part of the property, where the olives are harvested manually and processed within a maximum period of 24 hours, a fact that preserves the freshness of the fruit.

On the farm, one of my biggest rewards was walking among the vineyards of the property and noticing the charms of the Dão: the noises of the birds around dictate an unparalleled calm. Along with the contrast between the modern building and the historic villages around it, I left here in love with the possibilities of this little corner of Portugal.

Getaways in the Dão: cheeses and bean pastel

Very close to Viseu, about 25 km from the city, is another discovery in Dão and in the center of Portugal. I speak of flail a small municipality that also has peculiar characteristics.

Here, time seems to be different! The charming houses in the center give us a taste of what it is like to live in the center of the country, where, as is customary in the region, chapels and monuments from very ancient times that were part of the construction of Portugal coexist among the residents.

Accompanied by chef Diogo Rocha, from Mesa de Lemos, she leaves Viseu and heads towards Mangualde, where some of the most delicious delicacies are produced and sold.

I’m talking about cheeses and the traditional bean cake. A stop is mandatory when passing through this special Portuguese corner.

Vale da Estrela cheese factory

To begin with, I visited the factory of Star Valley , which, for me, carries the nickname of producing the best Portuguese cheeses. The cheese factory is responsible for Serra da Estrela, one of the most emblematic cheeses in Portugal – and one of the best in life!

It all starts with raising the sheep in the pastures of the mountains, which produce the unique milk used in the manufacture of cheese.

Produced only with milk from Bordaleira sheep from the demarcated region of Serra da Estrela, a mountain range with the highest altitudes in mainland Portugal, they are fed with the region’s pasture.

To the milk is added the thistle flower and salt so that it curdles – the curd is then drained and turned into cheese. All this was explained by the cheesemakers at the factory, where I could see the production with my own eyes – around 180 cheeses are made a day, on average.

The oldest mentions of this cheese come from the 12th century, making it the oldest of Portuguese cheeses.

It is very special to follow the production by experienced hands up close, and it is possible to go to the maturation room and feel the aromas of the different times of the cheese – I joke that the room is actually the “room of treasures”!

The factory visit, which can be scheduled on the website , ends with a tasting of what is produced here. It is at this time that we feel all the creaminess of Serra da Estrela: we should eat it in slices, also taking advantage of the skin. Its temperature must be ambient, when we then notice the butter, the fat and the greasiness.

The cool thing is that the differences between the cheeses are given according to the time, in which we have the opportunity to try the same cheese at different stages.

Patronage Pastry

The last stop with chef Diogo Rocha was at Largo da Misericórdia, in Mangualde, at a super-traditional pastry shop in the region. I refer to Patronage bakery which is practically inside a church.

The bakery received all the recipes from the nuns and here we have to taste the bean pastel, a Dão heritage.

At first, the look can be confusing: the look is almost like a pastel de nata, also a Portuguese icon. But we only have one way to take the doubt: eating!

The filling is denser, not as creamy as the other delicacy, and, for my taste, it resembles a cheesecake, but without the cheese. It’s a flavor that can be described as intense.

This experience only the center of Portugal has! In addition, leaving the bakery and seeing the bucolic town of Mangualde, which looks like a village, is quite a discovery.