Region Of The Week: Vinho Verde
Often confused for a particular grape or blend, Vinho Verde is actually the largest wine region in Portugal spread across 24,000 hectares. Its name translates to “green wine” in English, which could be in reference to the fact that the zesty wines are best enjoyed young, or to the lush and rich greenery that surrounds the area, or the slight greenish tint some wines have in the glass. While Vinho Verde is divided into nine sub-regions, each with their own microclimate, Vinho Verde tends to have cool temperatures and an abundance of rain.
Known for unusual vineyard techniques, Vinho Verde uses a system called “enforcado” where the vines have been trained to grow high off the ground, intertwining themselves with tree trunks, telephone poles, and stakes. The varietals that are most common are Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Loureiro, Trajadura, Borraçal, Brancelho, Espadeiro, and Vinhão.
Vinho Verde wines are known for their slight effervescent. Originally this was a natural occurrence, as carbon dioxide from fermentation would be trapped and bottled with the wine. Now, some producers add a boost of carbon dioxide as people have come to expect Vinho Verde wines to have a light spritz to it. Traditionally, Vinho Verde bottles with a rounder bottom, or Burgundy-shaped, won’t have any fizziness to them.
