Vinho Verde wines (34)

About 25 percent of Portugal's total wine production comes from this wine-growing region, with a total vineyard area of around 60,000 hectares, making it the largest growing area for quality wines from Portugal.

Vinho Verde: Portuguese Wine Specialty

The origin region of Vinho Verde is the river basin between the Portuguese-Spanish border river Douro and the Minho, bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Characteristic is its maritime, extremely humid climate with hot summers and cold, rainy winters. The annual rainfall can reach up to 2,000 millimeters per square meter. The vines for this Portuguese white wine are often trained in pergolas.

The description "green wine" does not refer to the color of the grapes or the final product, but rather to the young, fresh character of these wines. They are made not only from white but also from red grapes. In addition to white and red Vinho Verdes, there are also rosé variants, but white varieties dominate the international market. The recommended white grape varieties for their production are Alvarinho, Avesso, Loureiro, and Treixadura, along with several other recommended or permitted white grapes. There is also a considerable variety of grapes in the red Vinho Verdes.

Vinho Verde Wine: Light, Sparkling, and Rich in Fruit Aromas

The vinification of these wines requires a lot of sensitivity and experience from the winemakers. They undergo only a short fermentation period and are characterized by a high acidity. Their alcohol content ranges from 8.5 to eleven percent, which contributes to their light, sparkling character. During the fermentation process, the malic acid present in the must transforms into natural carbon dioxide. In lower quality green wines that do not fall under the DOC certification, carbon dioxide is also partially added externally.

With the exception of some export qualities that contain some residual sweetness, Vinho Verdes are produced to be acidic and "bone dry." A classic Vinho Verde presents itself as lightly sparkling and shows intense apple, peach, or citrus notes. Red varieties, which are almost exclusively consumed locally, have a very high tannin content and a distinctly intense color.