The Ribatejo Wine Routes of Portugal

Located in central Portugal to the northwest of Lisbon, the Ribatejo is one of Portugal's traditional provinces. The Tagus runs down from here to Lisbon, passing by historic Santarem and its medieval castle, towers, churches and convents. Wine has been made in the Ribatejo since the time of the Romans, and the modern region is a D.O.C., (Controlled Denomination of Origin) for wine production. The combination of fine wines and proximity to Lisbon makes it a natural destination for wine lovers on a day trip out of Lisbon. All you need to do is rent a car, brave the Lisbon highways and break out into the countryside.

The Rota do Vinho do Ribatejo, (Ribatejo Wine Route) is in reality four separate tours, each with its own theme. The Gothic Treasure route culminates in Santarem, with is religious and military architecture dating from the 12 to the 14th centuries. Then there is the tour of the Bulls and Horses. Ribatejo's terrain is dominated by the plain of the Tagus, and is therefore a major region for cattle and horse farming as well as for growing wine. This tour includes equestrian centers as well as wine cellars. A third route follows the Tagus up its south bank (and therefore does not include Santarem) and visits the largest number of vineyards of any of the individual routes. The fourth and final route is called the Manueline Treasure, and includes a property that was once owned by the Templars in the 15th century.

In all, the Ribatejo Wine Route visits 26 wineries through its four different touring routes. The separate wine route can be seen either on a guided tour or a self-guided road trip, and no individual route covers more than 100 road miles. The self-guided tour requires more homework and planning, given that the different wineries have their own visiting hours. However, that also means that parts of all four routes can be mixed and matched. For example, if you wanted to visit a horse farm-cum-vineyard, the former Templar estate and see Santarem, you could plot your own course and visit vineyards from three of the different established tour routes.

Sources: personal experience; rotavinhoribatejo.pt/routes.html