Vinho Verde

DOC region for the production of white and red wines, legally defined as long ago as 1908. The total vineyard area is 60.000 hectares, making it the largest region for the production of quality wines in Portugal. The region stretches over a length of some 130 kilometres, and is 70 kilometres wide, producing around a qurter of all the wine in Portugal. It is located in the northwest of the country, lying between the Duoro river and the Minho river, which forms the border with Spain. The entire region is also classified as a Vinho Regional (VR) for the production of country wines under the designation Rios do Minho. The nearby Atlantic ocean strongly influences the climate, which is cool with high average rainfall. The region is divided into six sub-zones: Amarante, Basto, Braga, Lima, Moncáo and Penafiel, which differ in terms of the grape varieties planted. The name of the sub-zone is generally not stated on the label. The vines are usually trained on a high pergola system, called Tendone. The name Vinho Verde translates as “green wine”, which however does not refer to the colour of the wine (there are both red and white versions), but to the fresh taste, the green landscape and to the fact that the wine is made from grapes that are still slightly green, i.e. not fully ripe. The cool climate, the trellising system and the specific grape vareities produce must with a low sugar content, and a high level of malic acid. The grapes are picked early, to ensure they are not fully ripe, and are only briefly fermented. In the past, malo-lactic fermentation took place widely, but today carbon dioxide is usually added. This produces and acidic, fresh wine with a slight sparkling tingle on the tongue. A vintage is only rarely stated on the label. Most vinho verde wines have a low alcohol content of only 9 to 10% vol, and should be drunk young, generalyl within a year of the vintage.

The red wines have a deep colour, they are dominated by acid and have a tart, extremely astringent taste. They are made from the indigenous varieties Azal Tinto, Espadeiro, Vinhão, Borracal, Brancelho, Pedral and also some hybrid varieties, they are rarely exported. In the past, the red wines accounted for 70% of production, but since the harmonisation with EU regulations in the early 1990’s, production is now half whiote and half red. The white wines have a straw to lemon yellow colour. The dry Vinho Verde wines with a sharp taste are considered to be the most authentic. The most important white vareities are Alvarinho and Loureiro Blanco, with the best grapes being used, and sometimes also bottled as varietal wines. These are the top quality versions, with a high alcohol content of up to 13% vol. Other white varieties include Avesso, Azal Branco, Batoca (Alvaraça), Paderna and Trajadura. However, only the Alvarinho wines from the Moncáo sub-region are permitted to have an alcohol content higher than 11,5% vol, all the other wines with a higher alcohol content must be declared as Rios do Minho. More than 60% of the wine produced in the region is simple quaffing wine, not bottled, which bears great resemblence to unfiltered apple cider. The export versions have unfermented must concentrate added to them, and are produced in off-dry to sweet variants, the sweetest version is the white Gatao. The largest and best-known producers are Casa de Sezim, Casa de Vila Verde, Ponte de Lima, Palacio de Brejoeira, Sogrape (under various labels, such as Morgadio de Torre, Quinta Avelada, Quinta Azevedo), Quinta do Ameal, Quinta da Franqueira , Quinta de Liaxa, Quinta do Tamariz and Soc. dos Vinhos Borges.