Vinho Verde
“Verde” does not mean the wine is green in colour.
Terroirs, appellations and label clues
Vinho Verde is an origin, not green colour or obligatory bubbles. Monção e Melgaço is a subregion strongly linked to Alvarinho. Reds, rosés and sparkling wines also exist: identify the exact style.
To get started
Check grape, alcohol and precise origin. Compare an Alvarinho with a blend, then identify the style that suits your recipe.
Key grapes
Alvarinho — A Portuguese white to explore in Vinho Verde. Try plain fish, then fish with lemon sauce. Record which element changes the balance between dish and wine.
Compare regions
Compare regions in the same country too: the same grape can produce different wines as climate, site and producer choices change.
Style descriptions are guides, not rules: vintage, vineyard, blending and maturation change the result.
