Portugal's Tejo to allow PGI wines at 0.5% alcohol

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By Hamish Graham

Published: 27 August, 2025

Tejo Wines has announced updated regulations for the region’s lower-alcohol and dealcoholised wines. The move follows approval by the Tejo General Council (CVR), as well as official recognition by the Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV).

The new guidelines will introduce revised minimum alcohol thresholds. This is set to be 10.5% abv for red, white and rosé wines, while this figure will stand at 7.5% for IG Leve (‘light’) red, white and rosé wines, the latter minimum being previously set at 9%.

Additionally, estates in the region are now officially allowed to partially dealcoholise wine, with the new rules allowing for the end product to be certified as PGI Tejo. These wines must have a minimum alcohol of 0.5%.

The decision sees the region respond to the growing global trend towards moderation and lighter wine styles, allowing its producers of PGI wine to better respond to shifting consumption demands.

The region is well suited to produce lighter-alcohol styles as the dual cooling effect of the Tejo River and Atlantic Ocean allows grapes to mature gradually, preventing excess sugar from building up.

Tejo’s wines are growing in popularity in the UK and Luis de Castro, president of CVR Tejo, believes the regulatory changes can align with the growing British consumer penchant for lighter wines.

He commented: “Tejo’s most compelling attribute is diversity. With a multitude of microclimates, indigenous and international grape varieties and characteristic terroirs, the talented winemakers in the region create a breadth of styles, which feature naturally occurring lower-alcohol wines.

“As UK drinkers increasingly adopt moderation, demand for lighter styles of wine is moving from niche to mainstream. We’re excited to now be able to offer a range of new wines for this category to the UK trade that will sit as easily on a restaurant wine list as on a retail shelf and will provide more opportunities for UK consumers to taste and enjoy our region’s wines.”