Photos: Courtesy Vinho Verde
In 1908, one of the most important wine regions in Portugal was born between Douro and Minho, região vinho verde.
Almost 250,000 hectares of vineyards are 45 grape varieties for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, and 67 for IG Minho, these varieties don’t have AOC because they don’t use the native strains.
The grapes aren’t only white, as the region has grown to such an extent that you can find red grapes such as Borraçal, Brancelho, Espadeiro, Padeiro and Vinhão can be found. The white grapes most used to give body to the wine are Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Loureiro and Trajadura.
Vinho Verde has AOC as a guaranteed seal and is characterized by having a wide range of wines such as whites, reds, rosés, sparkling wines, and distillates. Its AOC is divided into nine sub-regions: Baião, Ave, Basto, Cávado, Lima, Paiva, Sousa and Amarante.
Vinho Verde is so called for two reasons: the young grapes that characterizes it and the green landscape of the region, where the climate is temperate with constant rainfall and the vegetation is leafy all year round. To avoid diseases, the vine must have a tall trunk and have learned to adapt in oenological and agricultural terms.
The best way to enjoy your Vinho Verde
Winegrowers take care the quality of their wines to be recognized in more than 100 countries as a fresh wine, pleasant in the mouth and exquisite to be tasted preferably on hot days, although cold countries also consume it in large quantities.
If you visit Portugal, don’t miss the opportunity to pair the Portuguese gastronomy with Vinho Verde and taste the local grapes, surely you will want to take several bottles as a souvenir.
“There is a route called vinho verde. Information about this route can be found at https://www.vinhoverde.pt where you can do a lot of things and many times isn’t necessary a reservation, is just to appear”, says Dária Ferreira, Region´s Marketing Manager.
The pairing of Vinho Verde is very wide, it can be tasted with any dish and at any time of the day.
White wines are recommended with salads, seafood, fish, poultry, and oriental cuisine. There is a recent trend to use them as an aperitif. Alvarinho whites are ideal to blend strong dishes like as cod, octopus, grilled and roasted meat dishes. They also combine very well with cold meats and cheeses.
Rosés are used as an aperitif, fish, Thai food or to combine some desserts with red fruits. The reds are ideal for pairing with the regional gastronomy of Minho: cod with breadcrumbs, roast kid in Pau de Loureiro, potatoes, and rice from Sarrabulho, Rojões à Moda do Minho, or grilled sardines.
Sparkling wines are recommended with canapés, fish and meat dishes, seafood or desserts and distilled wines are perfect as a digestive, ideal with coffee and chocolates or nuts and why not enjoy it with a good cigar.
The recommended temperature for drinking wine is:
White Vinho Verde, from 8 to 12 °C.
Vinho Verde Rosé, from 10 to 12 °C.
Red Vinho Verde, from 12 to 15 °C.
Sparkling wine Vinho Verde, from 6 to 8 °C.
When the bottle’s content is not entirely consumed, it may be kept, in general, for one or two days in the fridge. The bottle should preferably be closed with a vacuum system to preserve the wine’s characteristics.
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