Get to know the signature wines of northern Portugal.
Explore Portugal’s largest wine region in today’s post, sponsored by Vinho Verde Wines.
Today we want to take you to a special place in Portugal just to the west of the Douro region (where Port is made) and to the south of the Rías Baixas region of Spain. That place is Vinho Verde, home to the delightfully (sometimes fizzy) white wines that pair so well with seafood and summer. But summer is not the only time to enjoy these delicious food-friendly wines.
The Vinho Verde (pronounced veeng-yo vaird) region covers over 2,700 square miles which is roughly 8% of the country’s land surface. Approximately 85 million liters of Vinho Verde are produced each year. 86% of it is white wine made primarily from the Alvarinho, Avesso, Azal, Arinto, Loureiro, and Trajadura grape varieties.
Most of the wines are actually blends of these grapes, but single varietal bottlings from Alvarinho and Loureiro can be found. Stylistically the whites display apple, pear and citrus flavors and typically have high acidity and a slight effervescence. The alcohol content ranges from 9 to 12%.
Best of all, many of these wines retail in the $7-$15 range which is directly in our sweet spot. And as we’ve noted before these wines offer some of the best bang for your buck you’ll find.
Despite what many assume, the name Vinho Verde does not mean ‘green’ wine. ‘Verde’ actually refers to it being a young wine since the wines are released 3-6 months after harvest. That may be the only young thing about this area however as it has been producing wine for over 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest wine regions in Portugal.
The region itself is certainly green; however, with lush forests and foliage throughout. In terms of climate, Vinho Verde is similar to the American Pacific Northwest.
For much more info on Vinho Verde Wines check out their website here and stay tuned over the next few weeks as we highlight some of our favorite selections!
This post was sponsored by Vinho Verde Wines.
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