Tejo
In the spring, Portugal’s wine regions spring to life. After a long, gray winter in northern Europe, the country’s warmest time of year is a tantalizing promise of sweet wines and lush vineyards. The Ribatejo region is no exception.
In fact, it has one of the largest areas devoted to wine production in all of Portugal—more than 80 percent of the country’s total area under cultivation. Friends describe it as beautiful and inviting, with rolling hills that are ripe for taming with grapes. “I’m really happy here,” says Joao Carlos Gomes Sousa Nunes, a local winemaker who lives in Leiria (in Tejo). “The people are very nice.”
There are other positives about living in Tejo: The region has relatively mild winters and some of Portugal’s best-kept secrets when it comes to food and dining out. It also produces a lot more wine than any other part of the country —about 18 million liters each year compared to 16 million liters from Castelo Branco—making it one of the biggest producers by volume in all of Europe. If you’re looking for less work on your hands than you’re used to at home but still want to try your hand at growing European grapevines, this might be a great place for you.
A region with a chequered history
Historically, the region has had a chequered history in terms of wine production. Like so many other European regions, it was hit hard by the phylloxera outbreak of the 19th century, which saw swathes of vineyards wiped out. In addition to that, it was later subject to less than desirable modernisation techniques in the vineyards and wineries. However, this trend is changing rapidly and Tejo’s wines are now being exported around the world. The region itself is also now a popular tourist destination as well as an area that sees a lot of commuting from Lisbon into its rural north.
Vines planted in the second century AD
Most of the vines planted in Tejo were established by the Romans, and some are believed to be over two thousand years old. The oldest known vineyard still in production dates from 1756, but many of the ancient vineyards were cut down as urbanization encroached on the area. Today, while there are still historic vineyards, most of those currently farmed were established more recently.
Tejo is one of Portugal’s largest wine regions, and produces both red and white wines featuring indigenous grapes like Fernão Pires and Arinto.
The biggest wine producer in Portugal
In a landscape as varied and unique as Tejo, it’s not hard to understand why the region accounts for roughly one-tenth of the world’s bulk wine production. This is a place where there’s abundant sunshine, fertile soil in its riverbeds, and an endless supply of water. It also boasts a system that helps make each producer independent by having them access their own water source from the nearby Tagus River to supplement the more limited groundwater resources in their native regions.
The Tejo Wine Region itself has six full-blown traditional subregions: Arade (the original birthplace of Port wine), Alentejo (the country’s oldest wine region), Douro, Minho, Trasosso and Vila Real. Of those six subregions, two are relatively small in size—Alentejo and Trasosso—while three others are fairly large: Douro, Minho and Arade.
A diverse range of grape varieties
The Tejo region has a diverse range of grape varieties:
- Red varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Aragonez, Castelao, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Moreto, Tamarez, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
- White varieties: Fernao Pires (Maria Gomes), Arinto (Pederna), Vital (Sercialinho), Roupeiro (Roupeiro) and Rabo de Ovelha
Tons of DOCs, including two sub-regions
We’re here to learn more about wine, and discover new places to visit. So it makes sense that we’d be interested in learning more about Portugal’s biggest wine region.
Tejo is home to 15 different DOCs. Recognized for their variety of grapes and unique terroir, the region has an impressive amount of DOCs to choose from for your next holiday or weekend getaway! Here are 8 wines made from a variety of grapes grown in Tejo to help you decide which one is best for your palette:
▪ Quinta da Boa Vista Riveira 2015 – this unpretentious red blend has hints of cherry, raspberry, and spices. It’s easy going with a soft tannic finish that lingers on the tongue.
▪ Estanteira de Alberices 2016 – this refreshing white blend features notes of lemon zest and citrus blossom. The fruit flavors are well integrated without being too sweet making for a dry finish with lingering flavors that linger on the palate.
▪ Quinta do Sado 2013 – this elegant red blend has notes of pear, plum, brown sugar and dried fruit. It’s full bodied with a complex interplay between fresh acidity and tannins that make it extremely drinkable even after an extended sipping session.
▪ Quinta do Galego 2012 – this medium-bodied red blend has lovely dark berry aromas on the nose along with hints of leathery blackcurrant and vanilla bean aromas as well as licorice aromas in the mouth that enhance its already pleasant grape flavors including small hint of tobacco leaf notes on the finish.
▪ Quinta Vale dos Vadios 2013 – this light-bodied white blend offers light floral aromas with milk chocolate on the palate along with some chocolate biscuit flavors balanced by youthful acidity and liveliness making it very easy drinking but also enjoyable over time once opened up (see below).
▪ Rosada
Tejo is an interesting and varied wine region
Portugal is the northernmost country in Europe, bordered by Spain and France. A large part of the nation lies on the Atlantic Ocean, meaning it has a mild climate and a short growing season. This gives rise to a high diversity in wine styles, which is great news for wine lovers looking to try something new. As if that weren’t enough to entice you, you’ll be happy to learn there are no fewer than 27 official wine regions in Portugal! And we’re not talking about just any region: one of them (Vila Nova de Gaia) even has two different subregions; needless to say, there’s a lot going on here.
The name Tejo itself refers to both the Tâmega River and the Porto region where it flows into the ocean at some point along its course. You could also think of it as being like Rioja, but with less geographic restrictions; however, unlike Rioja—which can only produce red wines—Portuguese reds come in all shades of color from deep ruby-reds to pale garnet-reds. They’re often full bodied and well balanced with lots more nuance than their Spanish counterparts. The best way to describe them is that they feel “fresher” than other wines you may be used to drinking while sipping an after-dinner cognac or port—they have lively tannins and an edge that make this style approachable yet elegant at the same time!
One thing you’ll notice when tasting wines from Tejo is how diverse they can be: depending on where they come from and what grape variety they’re made with, these wines can taste almost completely different. Be sure to ask your local wine merchant about a variety before committing when it comes time for pairing meals (this will make it easier for you when deciding which foods pair best). Some common names include Vinho Verde (a green wine), Vinho Seco (dry white), Vinho do