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So you’re sitting on the patio this evening at the pool in Cancùn waiting on the shrimp skewers you ordered thirty minutes ago. How long can it take - I mean, it’s grilled shrimp? And another thing, why are we sitting outside, what are we, cattle? When in Rome, I suppose. While we are here, we're going to need something light, spritzy, not too serious, maybe a little salinic, zesty, and certainly refreshing. You’ve been working hard on your tan for three hours, and now you must suffer the indignity of pool food, and by golly you’re going to need something to take the edge off.
Your first thought might be the Matua Sauvignon Blanc - Good idea! Lime zest, lawnmower catch bag, Meyer lemon; cedar, pine nuts - It’s perfect. But you’re by the Ocean, and the price of convenience is fourteen dollars per glass. Hmm - hard pass. You need something cheaper, lighter, and with more saline; a perfect compliment to the passing waves, and the sound of Margaritaville playing on the bluetooth speaker behind you, for the fifth time. What you need is Vinho Verde.
Light, refreshing, cheap; airy, dry, and acidic these power-houses from Portugal are often lightly carbonated, and made to suit any day in the sun. There fairly readily available, and easy to pair with food. Now, don’t get confused, Vinho Verde is not a, “Green Wine” as the name would suggest, though often they are. Vinho Verde is the name of the wine from the northwest part of Portugal, just on the heels of the Douro Valley; between the Minho and Douro rivers. Important to note is that the Vinho Verde region makes plenty of easy-drinking reds, as well.
These little darlings are affordable, refreshing, and excellent value. A typical bottle of white Vinho Verde can be picked up at most supermarkets for around eight dollars per bottle, with higher-quality, more interesting specimens selling for around twenty-five dollars per bottle, though, honestly the cheaper bottles tend to be more refreshing anyway, as there’s far less going on. This is an underrated, and unappreciated wine by most people. For as little as a bottle of Plibson’s Creek plonk in the mega-jug, you can have five, six-ounce pours of something much more drinkable, satiating, and refreshing, without the hangover.
That being said, there’s much more to Vinho Verde (VV) than just a cheap alternative to the usual Chardonnay, Sauvignon, or Albariño - these wines have really managed to make a splash on the international markets and are finally being given the attention they deserve by wine professionals everywhere. And it shows: the region is growing, and making considerable improvements to its would-have-been table wine.
It’s worth saying up front that the expected sparkle is not necessarily natural, but once a commercial byproduct of poor winemaking techniques that plagued the region in its past. Years ago, producers used to bottle this early-drinking wine within three months of initial fermentation, thus the low alcohol levels. This left residual bubbles from a secondary malolactic fermentation taking place in the bottle.
The grapes used in white wines are all local varieties with the exception of Alvarinho (Albariño). The most common varieties besides Alvarinho are Arinto, Azal, Avesso; Loueiro, and Trajadura; Though, there are other varieties permitted under Portuguese DOC law, just not recommended. These grapes are usually blended to give the wines their light, refreshing, zesty appeal; super-light color, and consistency.
Alvarinho, when grown in Portugal tends to be the lowest-yielding grape for the region, providing fresh honey flavors, creaminess, and Meyer lemon. Its consistency is light, but the grape does make up the vast majority of the blends from this area. It is also used as a secret weapon to spice up some of the workhorse grapes like Azal. When added to Loueiro, this grape adds zest and acid to the sweet pineapple flavors, and waters down some of the richness.
Loueiro is primarily grown as a blending grape, but there are some producers experimenting with single-variety wines, especially in the south of Vinho Verde. It has a richer, tropical fruit aromas, maybe a bit of peach, coconut, and Hawaii’n lily. It ’s not dramatically floral, but is blended to add richness, and underbelly. It’s must common in the southern regions. It tends to be grown closer to the Atlantic ocean, as it thrives in more humid environments.
Azal, as mentioned before, is more of a higher yielding cheap grape that the region leans on to hold consistency. Its flavors are pretty neutral and it is very common, being the second most planted variety. It’s not bad tasting when done well on its own, but definitely enjoys the company of friends in the bottle, as there doesn’t tend to be much to write home about in all honesty. Because of its neutrality, some are beginning to remove their Azal Vines in favor of bolder and more interesting Avesso.
Avesso is a grape that is being more widely planted across the region. It is well regarded as a superb standalone, and is capable of much more intrigue than initially thought. It’s not crazy to find a bottle of Vinho Verde in America that is fully Avesso. Though it has nowhere near the crop scale of Alvarinho, or Azal, its popularity is on the rise. It’s popular in the southern areas of VV, and adds a succulent floral richness to the wines: flavors of white tea, lychee and stone fruit opulence are among those to be on the lookout for.
Arinto, much like Avesso is another great solo-bottle, but of course generally functions as a blend additive. It is mostly praised for its acid profile, which is quite complex. Lime, pear and lemon drop are all commonly associated flavors with this grape in the overall blend. When rested in some oak, much like Chardonnay, its second cousin, twice or three times removed, it can develop some interesting presence, mouthfeel, and buttery-margarine notes.
Lastly, there is Trajadura, which is also used as a blending grape here in VV, but also to the north in Rias Biaxas where it is a bit more common. It is mainly used in the blending process to add some weight and blossom fruit textures, but also can be a primary flavor driver in the wine, usually those blended with Azal. It also makes a nice underbelly to Alvarinho, which can be a bit too delicate and zesty.
As far as reds do, two major grapes come to mind, Espadeiro and Vinhão; the latter being the more widely planted of the two. Vinhão is higher in acidity, but has more depth and presence in its mouthfeel, as it’s pretty tannic. Espadeiro on the other hand, is not as acetic and has less depth of flavor, and is generally regarded as a blending grape. The wines made from the blends are crisp, fruit-forward food wines.
If you're hankering for a smashing bottle of Vinho Verde, I would suggest Adega Ponte de Barca Lindeza Grande Escola, of the most recent vintage. These wines are meant to be consumed young, while the fruit is still bright. This particular blend is made of Alvarinho, Arinto and Azal. It's bright, spritzy and refreshing, with not too much complexity or daunting weight. Flavors to look for are lemon peel, ocean saline, and lime. It is also available at most major retailers, which makes it an easy candidate for the patio.
Let’s start the serious discussion of this wine by introducing the various subregions in Vinho Verde. There are nine: Souza, Paiva, Ave; Amarante, Baião, Cávado; Basto, Lima, and Moncão/Melgaço.
In Souza, the cooling affects of the Atlantic are not as dramatic as in some other areas such as Basto, where winters are duplicitous, and summers are particularly hot. Souza experiences relatively low rainfall, and vintners here have plantings of all of the major VV varieties. Paiva, to the south, is also not at the whim of the Atlantic ocean, and, thus has a very similar climate, and variety of grapes.
Moncão/Melgaço has a very particular microclimate, and specializes in Alvarinho. This subregion also has a topsoil of Granite that acts to contain heat, allowing the grapes to ripen earlier. There is moderate rainfall as this region is exposed to the Atlantic. Nearby Lima, has similar soils, but far more rainfall. Loureiro is the most common planting in Lima, especially in the lower-lying schist soils, though you can also find Arinto, and Trejadura to be quite common here. To the south, in Cávado, the climate is more temperate than the other regions, and here the soils are mainly limestone.
The weather is the harshest in Basto and Baião. The region gets very little break from the summer sun, and the winter winds. Rainfall here is plenty, and the cooling air from the Atlantic creates very interesting wines,with rich minerality and orchard fruit, providing a full mouthfeel.
In all, the wines made in this excellent region are tasteful, delicate, and interesting. It’s up-and-coming, sure. The next decades are going to be extremely exciting as winemaking processes continue to improve as the region modernizes. Look out for Vinho Verde next time you’re forced to sit on the patio, and it’s sure to change your mood.
That’s all,
~K
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