Portugal’s Comissão Vitivinícola Regional do Tejo, (CVRT) has launched a new category of wine for the region, as it looks to tap into consumer trends towards lighter styles. 

Campo do Tejo features an “easy drinking” range of Tejo white wines made from the region’s most famous white grape varietal, Fernão Pires, with a lower abv of 11.5%. 

The category will initially launch with wines from several producers on an international scale into the region’s key markets: Brazil, Benelux, China, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, UK and the US. 

President of the CVRT, Luis de Castro said: “The region’s real strength and majority production is white wines, primarily using the indigenous Fernão Pires varietal. We are delighted to launch this new category which will give us the opportunity to showcase a style of wine unique to our region. Campo do Tejo wines will be fresh and easy drinking with distinctive and attractive aromas influenced by the region’s natural resources.”

The labels, designed by University of Aveiro, Neil Tully MW and Amphora Design, feature the river Tejo.

Brian Howard of Wine Intelligence said the Campo do Tejo category has been three years in planning. He said it has been “specifically produced to engage global consumers of all generations who are thoughtful about their wine choices, drinking occasions and choosing values that reflect care for the environment”.

“Campo do Tejo wines will represent all of this with minimal intervention, supporting wellbeing with lower alcohol and calories and a wine clearly created by a small group of passionate committed farming families,” he added. 

Howard also highlighted that the launch is well-timed to benefit from the lower alcohol duty band in the UK, set to come into effect this August.