Vinho Verde

Many people believe Vinho Verde of Portugal was named for its slightly green hint of color. The green, they are referring to is not in the bottle, but on the vine. Vinho Verde really refers to the practice of picking the grapes before they are fully ripened, while they are still green.

There are red wines produced in Vinho Verde. The red wines are known to be acidic and bitter, but are extremely popular with the locals. The Vinho Verde's reds rarely reach the borders of the U.S. The effervescent white wine with the mineral snap is the version of Vinho Verde that we've come to know here in the United States.

The Vinho Verde DOC is located in the Minho region of Portgugal, in the northwestern corner of the country. There can be a hodge-podge of white grapes used in the process of making Vinho Verde, but the four primary grapes are alvarinho, loureiro, trajadura, and pedernã. As with many varietals shared with its neighbor Spain, alvarinho, loureiro, and trajadura have a Spanish counterpart, albariño, loureira, and treixadura.

Vinho Verdes are lower in alcohol. Because they were picked from the vine early, there is less natural sugar in the grape and therefore produces a lower alcohol content when fermented. The effervescences comes from an addition of carbonation just before bottling. These simple white wines have an acidic edge and are perfect for shellfish, one of the main staples of this region in Portugal.