Oppidum
Born in 1955 in Sobral da Lagoa, in the municipality of Óbidos, married, with one daughter, Dário Pimpão was born into a family and village with close ties to the land and in an environment where the ginjeiras (sour cherry tree) and their fruits have always been part of his daily life.
Self-taught in the art of producing ginja (sour cherry liquer). Dário Pimpão is a liqueur maker with an enormous passion for his job, always striving to attain perfection in the activity that he elected as his professional path.
Inspired by the ancient tradition of making homemade ginja for his own pleasure and for sharing with friends, he embraced the challenge of developing a recipe that allows him to produce a totally natural product, without artificial additives, employing local farmers and using only the cherries from the region which places Oppidum Ginja as a reference among Ginjas de Óbidos.
Refusing to industrialize the process by which his Ginja is made, this Master liqueur maker remains faithful to his work formula, which has earned him many compliments and the loyalty of a demanding clientele that considers Oppidum its favorite Ginja de Óbidos.
An experimenter of flavors, he has also dedicated time to the confection of sweets, jams and fruit confits, transforming the quality raw material which grows abundantly in the region into these various delicacies and thus earning the preference of pastry chefs for his products.
An entrepreneur, he was a pioneer in the invention of Ginja served in a chocolate cup. This innovative way of appreciating Ginja de Óbidos was one of the inspirations for the first Chocolate Festival held in Óbidos in 2002. Later, this evolved into the production of ‘Ginja with Chocolate’, for which he holds the patent.
Dário Pimpão, a faithful friend, a man of sincere ways, well known for his integrity, is a lover of the sea and also a hunter, and enjoys receiving all those who wish to discover his life’s work and taste his Ginja.
Available Products
When Mr. Dário decided to continue his father's art, he didn't just want it to bear fruit. Previous generations had been busy marketing the local production of sour cherries, renowned for their unparalleled quality, to supply the most renowned liqueur makers located (still present today) in Lisbon and Alcobaça. He wanted to transform them into a noble product, far above average, without unnecessary additions and frivolities typical of the era, a time when artificial colors were a trump card, proudly displayed in a gold seal on every label. It was knowledge inherited through oral tradition. It was a passion ignited for the land and all that embraces it. It was the desire to see reflected in the ruby hues of the finest sour cherry liqueur an entire culture of its own. On this peak overlooking the Óbidos Lagoon, an entire West fits. And it tastes like the Portugal of Bygone Times. Oppidum was born, with due humility, in 1987. It didn't grow with aspirations for grandeur, but rather with the refinement of the palate of a public whose demands grow in step with an ever-expanding offering. But where singularity wanes. This will always remain Oppidum's emblem. The best of the best. It's not gold. It's crimson.
Producer: Dario Albano Zina Pimpao
Style: Spirit (Ginja - Cherry Liqueur)
Ingredients: Sour cherry (ginja), sugar, alcohol, water
Tasting Notes: Dark garnet color. Lively fruity aromas and flavors of sour cherry jam on raisin toast and cherry bonbon with satiny, tangy, moderately sweet medium body and a sleek, complex, long finish with accents of honey cream, chestnut, and cherry cider.
Serving Suggestions: Neat: Served in a liqueur glass or chocolate cup at a temperature of 61–63°F, or slightly chilled. It can be enjoyed with or without an alcohol-soaked cherry. Pairs well with dark chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Ginja can be used in many cocktails, such as a ginja tonic or a mojito-inspired drink with mint, crushed ice, and soda water.
Ratings: Coming Soon
