Current Status of Terrantez Plantations

[John Trombley]

Does anyone know of positive efforts to increase, save really, the Terrantez grape variety on Madiera? Are there ANY new plantations at all?

[Eric Ifune]

Still tiny, but recent plantings have helped. Faja dos Padres planted 50 vines a few years ago. Doesn't sound like a lot, but in Terrantez terms, it is significant. The MWC has some in it's new plantings as well. H&H also, I believe. Annual production is now over 1000 liters, sometimes as high as 2000 liters. A few years ago, it was much less. That's 2000 liters total for the entire island.

[John Trombley]

Eric, do you happen know of anything (such as a symposium, or other written or accessible material) adressing this issue? I'm considering an edit to the information in Wikipedia.

I strongly agree that, with the dire state of this variety, any news that's positive is reason for real joy.

[Eric Ifune]

Don't know of any online written status. I do have an IVBAM powerpoint presentation from a few years ago. Would you like me to email it to you?
I know the shippers want more and will pay extra for Terrantez, the IVBAM is encouraging it's planting. The growers are the one's to convince. Most are tiny, much less than half a hectare. The harvest is an extra household income. Terrantez is a persnickety grape to grow. A vine disease can wipe out your harvest in a few days. You might get paid more for it, but Tinta Negra is a much more reliable producer with almost a guaranteed harvest income.

[Roy Hersh]

John,

In 2006, i went to the island with a mission to lobby all remaining producers on the island to plant Terrantez. The results were not great, however, as Eric mentioned, my friend Mario Fernandes did take to heart what I felt was a very important grape for the island. He had six remaining vines at the time. From what I could tell at the time, beyond one experimental vineyard with just a couple of vines, those were the ONLY Terrantez vines on the island that remained.

I believe that in 2010 he finally did plant Terrantez, which we've seen since visiting just about every year since. Although Eric remembers it being 50 vines, I am pretty sure it was 500 vines. It may take another few years to really show some greatness, but Eric and I have already consumed some of the juice that came from some of those new baby vines and it was darn good ... considering.