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Food & Drink in the Algarve, Portugal
what to drink during your stay in the Algarve
The Wines of Portugal - The Ribatejo
Bom Dia
The "Heart of Portugal"?
This month we visit the region of the Ribatejo (translation - the River Tagus!), where all the charm of this province lies along the banks of the mighty Tagus. This vital river moulds the character of the area and forges the development of the people.
 Geographically to the north, on the right bank of the Tagus are limestone and clay lands, prolific in their olive and fig trees whilst to the south, on the left bank of the river, open land lost to view by large wooded areas. Then there are the meadows and pastures, rich alluvial plains. For centuries this has been home to the most aristocratic of Ribatejan residents: the bull, the horse and man.
If ever there was a river that has everything, as well as influencing the region - not least in its' wines, then the Tagus qualifies as this!
Let's drink to our arrival here; climbing to the Portas do Sol to enjoy the view - the beauty of Almeirim and Alpiarça lying on the plains of the Ribatejo... and lets also celebrate the National Gastronomic Festival which is faithfully held in Santarém each year, at the end of October.
 So before exploring the wine regions, a quick `feast' of this gastronomy, something easily accomplished here in the Ribatejo. There is the Tagus itself - the river which producing the delicious ingredients for the Savel bread soup or Eel stew. With meat, we can talk about pork, acorn fed pork in fact particularly in Alcanena and Coruche. Try little bits with your wines in the local bars - it's unforgettable.
The Ribatejo also produces some of the finest kid and lamb meat in the country, try it grilled, fried, stewed or roast. Finally the sweets from the Ribatejo for which many of the recipes came from medieval religious orders such as the Templars and have delightful names such as `Little Cheeses from the Sky'. Fruit too for the fields offer ideal conditions for the cultivation of early strawberries and melons.
The wines:
The Ribatejo District is to the east and inland from the Estremadura district covering to the north of the municipality of Tomar and then down to the district of the Alentejo. Some very good red wines can be found here due to the alluvial soil and temperate climate. The wines can be quite tannic when young but after 5 years or so they become full-bodied and fruity with a slightly spicy character.
 Almeirim (IPR = Indicaçao de Proveniencia Regulamentada)
This area covers the municipalities of Almeirim, Alpiarça and some of Salvaterra de Magos. Like its neighbour Santarém this has lower and upper vineyards. The lower is actually the flood fertile plain of the River Tejo (Tagus), the upper being well-drained sandy soil. The red wine tends to be smooth with good tannin content. The whites are well-balanced with fruity aromas but best consumed early. Labels to try are Almeirim, Caves Velhas, Dom Hermano, Falcoaria, Fernao Pires and Lezíria.
Cartaxo (IPR)
Covering the municipalities of Azambuja and Cartaxo. The vineyards are planted in two different types of soil. The first is the flood plains of the River Tejo and the second, at 200 metres, calcareous clay soil. The red wine from the lower vineyards is ruby red, firm and fruity, whilst the higher vineyards produce a deeper colour, rich and smooth wine. The white from the lower part is pale and fruity, whilst the higher part produces a wine that is dry and smooth. The labels to try are Bridao, Cartaxo, Falcao de Cima, Quinta do Bairro Falcao, Quinta Vale do Fornos and Rabeca.
 Chamusca (IPR)
This area covers the eponymous municipalities and Golega which again provides two different soils (the alluvial earth of the flood plain and the stony soil of higher land). The red wine is garnet-coloured and well-balanced, soft and smooth. The white wine is fruity, soft and is also found to be well-balanced.
Coruche (IPR)
This area is the fertile flood plains of the River Tejo covering the municipality itself and part of Salvaterra de Magos and Benavente. The red wine is garnet-coloured, light and soft. The white wine is pale, light with fruity aromas.
Santarém (IPR)
Wines from this whole region have been well known since the 12th Century. The two towns in the area are Rio Maior and Santarém. The red wine is deep in colour, full-bodied and well balanced. The white wine is straw-coloured and palatable. Label to look out for is Cabeça de Toiro.
 Tomar (IPR)
The town of this area is steeped in history and in the 14th Century was the home of the Order of Knights Templar. The neighbouring town of Ferreira do Zêzere shares these links with history and is also part of this wine area. The red wine here is light in colour and body, with some acidity. The white wine has a slight green tinge and a fruity crisp flavour. The labels from this area are Casal das Freiras, Charola, Porao Velho, Quinta do Cavalinho, Quinta de Sao Joao Batista, Quinta de Tomar and Solar dos Loendros.
I had the opportunity to taste several examples of Ribatejan wines yesterday in Edinburgh the annual generic tasting there (I couldn't make London after all). Do look out for the region's wines and, as ever, let me know what you think of them.
At the tasting, there were over 600 wines on show from over 100 Portuguese producers - it was a long, hard day! The great news is that in the past 12 months sales of Portuguese wines in the U.K. market have grown by 5% overall and by a staggering 32% in the on-trade sector (that's restaurants & hotels, etc). Hopefully some of this growth is. in no small way, down to you & I!
Until next month.
Martin
WINE EDUCATORS INTERNATIONAL
www.wine-educators.com
If you would like to know more about Portuguese Food and Drink, why don't you dip into our Restaurants in the Algarve section and our series of articles on Portuguese Wines and Ports. We also feature some Traditional Portuguese Recipes and a glossary of useful Portuguese food & drink words and phrases
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