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