Expand Your Palate in 2023 with Wines of Vinho Verde
Every year I set a goal to try wine from as many new regions as I can - the world of wine is expansive and ever changing, and there’s always something new to learn! One of the wines I plan to drink much more of next year is Vinho Verde. These wines range from light, crisp, and refreshing to intense, complex, and round. Vinho Verde wines are incredibly food friendly and perfect to sip all year long! Let’s take a dive into the region and the grapes and get Vinho Verde on your list of 2023 must-try wines!
The region
First, let’s debunk a myth about Vinho Verde: though Vinho Verde literally translates to “green wine”, Vinho Verde is actually a region in northern Portugal, named for its lush, green landscape! Though you might know Portugal best for its sandy beaches, the Minho Region in the northwest portion of the country that houses Vinho Verde sits along the Atlantic Ocean which makes for a mild climate but a great deal of rainfall.
Vinho Verde is the largest demarcated wine region in Portugal and it’s divided into nine subregions, primarily based on the differences in the way the Atlantic Ocean influences each area. As such, each subregion varies in terms of climate, soil type, and the grapes producers focus on.
The grapes
Vinho Verde is best known for producing fresh, crisp white wines with a sense of elegance and finesse. Though many of Vinho Verde’s wines are made using the Albariño grape (known as Alvarinho in Portugal), there are several other grapes white grown in the region! Vinho Verde’s white wines are classified into two segments: the young segment and the premium segment.
The young segment wines are most popular in the U.S., so are the segment of Vinho Verde you’ve likely tried before. These wines are crisp, light, and fresh with floral aromas and melon and citrus flavors. The young segment wines are mostly blends of indigenous Portuguese grapes like Arinto, Azal, Loureiro, Trajadura. These young segment wines pair best with light dishes like salads, soups, spring rolls, and sushi.
Vinho Verde’s premium segment wines have been slower to gain popularity in the U.S., but more people are starting to latch on to these wines (which is no surprise, they’re delicious)! They have more intense and complex flavors than young segment wines, and lead with minerality, fuller body, and rounder structure on the palate. These wines are mostly single varietal and made from Alvarinho, and the native Avesso, Loureiro, Azal, and Arinto grapes. Unlike their young segment counterparts, these wines pair best with bolder foods like spicy and creamy dishes, fish tacos, and other seafood dishes.
So, it’s time to pick up some Vinho Verde and kick off 2023 with something new! Let me know which bottles and food pairings are your favorites in the comments!
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Want more wine knowledge like this? In addition to three small-batch wines hand-picked and delivered to your doorstep each month (or quarter!), my Wine Club has an immersive live tasting experience with each small producer, so you’ll get hands-on knowledge directly from the people behind the wine in your glass. Learn more about the Wine Club here!
Cheers, and happy new year!