What is Vinho Verde?

Vinho Verde, a summary

Vinho Verde literally means Green Wine in English; not so much for its colour, especially since DOC Vinho Verde comes as white, rosé and sometimes red wines; but for its youth! These great Portuguese wines are pure freshness in a bottle…

The “DOC” label often seen before Vinho Verde on the bottles means Denominação de Origem Controlada that translates to Guaranteed Appellation of Origin. A label used to certify the geographical origins of the wines of Portugal, and the grape varieties allowed within its boundaries.

It's easy to enjoy these young, slightly effervescent wines from northern Portugal, more precisely from the region called Minho.

‍

‍

Vinho Verde and its birthplace

The Minho region is located in the very top East part of Portugal and faces the Atlantic to the west. There are nine sub-regions of Minho that can essentially be broken down into groups based on their influence from this rainy, coastal weather. Overall, it is a very green region compared to the famous dry with sandy beaches Algarve in the south and a quite hilly one too.

Variations in the types of soils and microclimates make for the division of the region into those nine subregions, with different grape varieties recommended for the production of Vinho Verde wines.

‍

‍

So what are the characteristics of Vinho Verde?

Vinho Verde wines are typically made from a blend of indigenous Portuguese grapes and are usually released without going through any barrel ageing process. A common misconception is that Vinho Verde is only a white wine. While 85% of Vinho Verde is indeed white, the wine is also made in red and rosé styles. Vinho Verde wines of all colours are characterised by their high acidity, lower alcohol, and slight fizz.

‍

‍

Examples of true classic Vinho Verde wines

Encostado Xisto White

Probably one of the best examples of a classic Vinho Verde white wine. Grown and vinified by Encosta do Xisto in Vila Nova de Famalicão, the winemaker uses a blend of three indigenous grape varieties Loureiro, Trajadura and Arinto. This Vinho Verde white displays aromas and flavours like white flowers, green apples, pears and peaches. It is smooth with a moderate acidity that gives freshness and has along finish.

A combination of the region’s micro-climate with the traditional winemaking techniques employed by Encosta do Xisto give this Portuguese white wine an authentic expression of what a white Vinho Verde should taste like.

Encosta do Xisto Espadeiro

While the vast majority of Vinho Verdo wines are white, the region offers some of the most beautiful Portuguese rose wines too. Encosta do Xisto exclusively uses the Espadeiro grape variety to produce this Vinho Verde rose and the result is a wine with notes of red berries, a dry and light palate with citrus and fresh red fruits aromas. Fairly unknown but a true terroir statement of Vinho Verde wine region.

‍

‍

The best ways to drink Vinho Verde

Let's say that Vinho Verde wines, compared with some other wines including wines of Portugal, are extremely versatile. As a start, they are amazing to enjoy on their own! Light, fresh, youthful and delightfully aromatic, it feels like a holiday in a glass! That said, matching those great Portuguese wines with food such as sea food canapés, caracóis (a classic Portuguese appetiser made with snails), shellfish, light fish, salads and calamari soup are all great pairings. The ideal serving temperature of Vinho Verde wines (even the reds!) is between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius. A wine that is best enjoyed within 3/4 years after the harvest year.

‍

Our take on Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde is definitely underrated but a great Portuguese wine that offers a good variety of tastes according to where it is grown, what grape varieties are used, either if it is a blend or a single variety and who produces it. Most importantly, Vinho Verde rhythms with sharing the good times, so grab a bottle and create memories!

You can find our selection of Vinho Verde wines here