17 Sep From Light and Spritzy to Serious…and Fun, Drink the Wines of Vinhos Verdes

Vinhos Verdes Restaurant Week 2024 (September 16-24, 2024) is bringing a taste of Portugal’s vibrant wine region to some of the top culinary destinations in the U.S. This national celebration features over 50 restaurants and wine bars across six cities: Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Miami, and New York City. So, as you head out to one of these restaurants to celebrate Vinho Verdes, I thought I would share some background on this fun, vibrant wine!

For years we have known Vinho Verde wines as light and spritzy with high acidity. But Vinho Verde offers more. It offers numerous grape varieties, single-variety wines and blends, oak-aged wine, and aged Alvarinhos. It offers high-acid white wines but also rosé wines and red wines. It is time to take Vinho Verde seriously, even though it is still lots of fun to drink.

Vinho Verde, which means “green wine”, is a region named after its lush greenery. Vinho Verde offers a patchwork of lush greenery matched against the blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Located 45 minutes north of Porto, Vinho Verde is set between the Douro River in the south, the Minho River in the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the mountain ranges to the east and south. It is these conditions, as well as the granite soils, that result in the fresh Vinho Verde wines.

Vinho Verde became a demarcated region in 1908. Today there are more than 1400 brands covering more than 42,000 acres. Within this small region, there are nine sub-regions. 80 percent of the grapes planted are white wine grapes and 20% are red wine grapes. There are eight primary grape varieties to know.

Alvarinho is the most well-known grape variety in Vinho Verde but is only the second most planted grape. Intense and complex, it offers fruity aromas of quince, peach, banana, lemon, passion fruity, and lychee, as well as full-bodied flavors and minerality.

Arinto, the third most planted grape, is rich with fruity notes ranging from citrus to ripe apple and pear, as well as floral notes. Arinto can pick up tropical and honey notes. Arinto has a refreshing flavor with minerality.

Avesso is full-bodied with orange, pineapple, and peach fruit aromas, as well as floral and almond notes. Avesso is structured and fresh and has age-ability.

Azal is fruity with lemon, lime, and grapefruit citrus notes, as well as green apple and mineral notes.

Loureiro is the most planted white grape in Vinho Verde. It has citrus, green apple, floral, and tropical fruit notes and is refreshing, elegant, mineral, and persistent on the palate.

Trajadura is elegant, soft, and round with moderate acidity and notes of apple, pear, and peach.

Espadeiro is light in body and color and used for rosé production. Espadeiro is refreshing with strawberry, cherry, red currant, and tropical notes.

Padeiro is also used for rosé production and is flavorful with strawberry, raspberry, and sweet candied aromas.

Vinhão is an intense garnet red wine with ripe red fruit, red currant, blackberry, raspberry, and violet notes, strong tannins, and high acidity.

In Vinho Verde, the quality of wine is guaranteed. Each bottle is identified, numbered, and certified by a quality guarantee of authenticity. In addition, Vinho Verde is the only region that has a minimum acidity law. All wines must have at least 4.5 grams per liter. This fresh acidity is what makes Vinho Verde wines perfect for a variety of dishes, including oysters, sushi, seafood, charcuterie, summer salads, pad thai, fresh barbecue, and more.

From light and fresh, full-bodied and intense, complex and structured, many Vinhos Verdes wines are waiting for you!

For a list of participating restaurants around the US celebrating Vinhos Verdes Restaurant Week 2024, click here!