Portuguese wine, sometimes referred to as “green wine,” originates from the ancient Minho region in the extreme north of the nation. The current ‘Vinho Verde’ region, which was conceived in 1908, consists of the old province of Minho and its surroundings to the south. In 1976, the previous province was dissolved.
Vinho Verde is a DOC used to produce wine, rather than a specific type of grape. Actually, “young wine” is what’s known as “green wine,” and it’s often offered three to six months following the grape harvest. They are usually consumed shortly after bottling and come in rosé, white, or red varieties. A Vinho Verde can also be referred to as effervescent, Late Harvest, or even brandy. The wine had a slight fizz in the early years of production due to malolactic fermentation in the bottle.
Although Vinho Verde makers discovered that consumers enjoyed the wine’s modest fizz, this is typically perceived as a flaw in the beverage. Sadly, the wines had to be packed in opaque bottles because the “in-bottle MLF” resulted in sedimentation and turbidity that looked unpleasant. These days, the majority of Vinho Verde producers have given up on this technique and added artificial carbonation to give the wine a subtle sheen.
The area is unique since it is home to a large number of small farmers (approximately 19,000 as of 2014). To sow vegetable harvests below the vines that their families could consume, many of these gardeners used to train their vines high off the ground, up trees, fences, and even telephone poles.
Styles
Although white wines make up the majority of Vinho Verde wines, the area is also well known for producing red and rose wines. White Vinho Verde’s natural acidity gives it a crisp, fresh flavour with varying overtones of fruit and flowers, depending on the grape varietal. The white wines are made from the native grape varieties Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso, and Azal. Their colour is straw or lemon, and their alcohol content ranges from 8.5 to 11%. They’re still somewhat sparkling, just not as much as semi-effervescent wines at pressures lower than one bar of CO2.
The red and rose varieties of Vinho Verde are much rarer than the white type. The main reason for this is the climate of the area, which prevents the red wine grapes from maturing due to its plentiful rainfall and generally pleasant temperatures. Red wines from Portugal known as Vinho Verde are typically crimson in hue and have a fruity taste with undertones of peony, sour cherry, and pepper. Rarer still, Vinho Verde rose wines have a taste of red berries and a little pink or vivid colour.
Alvarinho grapes, which are native to a certain subregion of Monterrey and Melgaço, are used to make Vinho Alvarinho. It has an extra 11.5% to 14% alcohol percentage and a strong scent of tropical fruit. The main grapes used to make the deep red, tannin-packed wines are Vines, Morraçal, and Amaral. Padeiro and Espadeiro grapes are typically used to make the crisp, flavorful rosés.
Marco de Canaveses is said to have given a winery to the Alpendurada abbey in the year 870 AD. It appears that more vineyards planted by monastic organisations and funded by tax incentives occurred during the ensuing decades. Although there is evidence that Vinho Verde was exported to England, Germany, and Flanders in the 12th century, the wine was mostly produced for home consumption. John Croft states that the first shipments to England took place in 1788.
The September 18, 1908, statute and the October 1, 1908, order established the boundaries of the “Vinho Verde Region”. Most production laws are from 1926 and were designated as a Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) in 1984. The DOC is supervised by the “Comissão de Viticultura da Região dos Vinhos Verdes.
Region & Subregions
The nine subregions that make up the Vinho Verde DOC—Vinho Verde-Amarante, for instance—may be listed on the wine label alongside the Vinho Verde designation. Amarante, Ave, Baião, Basto, Cávado, Lima, Monção e Melgaço, Paiva, and Sousa are the subregions.
The two most sought-after types of white wine are Alvarinho and Loureiro. Alvarinho typically yields less and might have substantially higher alcohol percentages. In the northern Minho region, between the Spanish border and the Lima Valley, the grape is frequently grown. Loureiro produces more, but the aroma is strong in his wines. Vinhão has been the most widely used red wine grape, with espadeiro and amaral / azal tinto coming in second and third. These grapes have the ability to produce peppery, rich purple wines.
Grapes
The grape varieties recommended or permitted for the DOC are as follows:
Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Batoca, Loureiro, and Trajadura are suggested white grapes.
Acceptable white varieties: Branco-Escola,Cainho de Moreira; Cascal; Duradinha; Esganinho; Esganoso de Castelo de Paiva; Esganoso de Lima; Fernão Pires; Lameiro; Rabigato; S. Mamede; and Semilão
Amaral / Azal Tinto, Borraçal, Brancelho, Espadeiro, Padeiro, Pedral, Rabo de Ovelha, and Vinhão are suggested red grape varietals.
Doçal, Doçal de Refóios, Espadeiro Mole, Laborico, Morurisco, Pico Pôlho, Sousão, and Verdelho Tinto are among the approved red grape varieties.
