Harvest time in the farm of the Knights Templars (Quinta do Cavalinho) near Tomar.

The high quality grapes were picked by hand and carefully chosen and processed into the fermantation tanks.

Here is a small video that shows a bit of the harvest in the farm of the Knights Templars.

Global warming is a threat that must be dealt with. Beyond the countless impacts it has on human lives worldwide, global warming could also be a disaster in the making for wine production. It is not quite clear yet how higher temperatures will affect vineyards globally.

What can you do to help in this battle?

A web site that is getting people from all over the world to be part of the biggest “human clock” to protest the Global Warming is showing video clips, photos or text from people who care (each one a 1 second clip) to show the biggest online protest ever.

In 16 days and some hours the United Nations will meet in Copenhagen to decide on the replacement of the Kyoto protocol, a defining agreement that will determine the future of our planet in the face of the climate crisis.

The web site of the protest

We at Fast change did our ticks. Here is mine

and here is Fabio’s

Why don’t you add your “tck” too? or if you want you can donate for this good cause.

Out of the 5,726 wine entrants that competed at the 2009 Mundusvini International Wine competition, Vidigal Wines was one of the few to place for three of their entered wines.

The 2005 Vidigal Dão, the 2005 Brutalis, and the 2007 Vidigal Reserva each won a silver medal. All of Vidigal Wines’ 6 entries scored above an average of eighty out of one hundred, a great feat for the company. The categories each wine was meticulously judged in comprised of Aroma, Taste, and Overall Impression.

Announcing Ribatejo’s name change around the same time as the former Estremadura’s name change (see last blog entry!), Jaime Silva, the Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, approved the name with the aim of improving wine sales in the region . José Gaspar Pinto, the president of CVRT (Regional Wine Commission of Tejo), stated that the region “has a lack of image and reputation abroad” and the name change would lead to recognition in consumers since Tejo refers to the well known river of the same name in the region . Other regions, Pinto says, like the Douro, Sado, Loire, and etc. seem to have names that refer to rivers which people will use to recognize the wines more easily.

The former Ribatejo, now the new Tejo region, is located in central Portugal and includes an area of around 19,989 ha. Of the 19,989 hectares, 11,993 ha. are used for white wines and 7,996 ha. are used for red wines. The Tejo River influences the weather and soil around the region, producing a mild, Mediterranean climate and a varying terrain depending where in the region you are in relation to the river . Some grapes grown in this region include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, among others . Among the six sub-regions in Tejo, Tomar is home to the winery Herdade dos Templários, whose 2006 DOC wine won the gold AWC Vienna award . Santarém, another sub-region in Tejo, houses Quinta da Ribeirinha.

If you visit the Tejo region, you won’t be disappointed by the beautiful climate, the history, and of course the amazing wines! Knowing me, I’ll be stopping by the stud farms in the region on my travels, saying hello to my old Lusitano buddies ! Life is good in the Tejo.

Ate breve (see you soon!)
Ze the Horse