ROMAN RUINS, GOTHIC CASTLES AND WINE – TEJO, PORTUGAL

Tejo, the wine region formerly known as Ribatejo and pronounced “TAY-JHO” is well-known in Europe but little-known here. At a tasting earlier this week organized by Joan Brower of the Dilenschneider Group and led by Master Sommelier Eric Entrikin, we learned that the region is a treasure trove of unique and value-priced wines.

Made from native grapes including Arinto, Fernao Pires,  Alvarinho and Verdelho for the whites, and Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Castelao and Aragones for reds, the wines have their own unique flavors, and across the board with medium-bodied with little to no oak.

Winemaking began here in the Middle Ages. The lush agricultural area is also known for olive groves, cork forests and prancing  Lusitano horses. Tejo, or Tagus, is the name of the Iberian Peninsula’s largest river, which dissects Northern from Southern Portugal and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon.

For more information on Tejo, visit www.winesoftejo.com

To read our reviews of the wines, visit http://planetgrapewinereview.com/?s=tejo