The area named after the river, with around 20,000 hectares of vineyards, was classified as a DOC in 1990 and is located in the middle of the Beiras region in the north of Portugal. Viticulture dates back to Greek antiquity. Especially in areas where vineyards have existed for centuries, one finds numerous strange cavities and depressions in the rocks in the form of stone basins (lagaretas). Presumably, grapes were pressed in these installations. This typical Portuguese method of stomping the grapes in the lagares (stone troughs) is still practised today. The area is framed...
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