Vinho Verde
What is it?
Vinho Verde is the name given to a white blend from Portugal, though technically, Vinho Verde is actually a region of Portugal, not the wine itself [2]. Vinho Verde is Portuguese for "green wine", though the translation is "young wine", since the wines are released relatively soon after harvesting. The grapes in this white blend are traditionally mostly Alvarinhi, Arinto, Azal, Avesso, Loueiro, and Trajadura [2]. Vinho Verde wines are known for being slightly carbonated with high acidity, and their flavors are pretty dependent on which grapes are used in the blend.
Primary flavors of Vinho Verde are lemonade, pink grapefruit, lime zest, yellow apple, and white blossom [1]. Suggested pairings with Vinho Verde are fish tacos, sushi, and salads [1]. It is also suggested to pair this wine with beaches [2]; sadly, we live in Nebraska, so that was not possible today. We had this wine with Greek couscous and cucumber feta bowls, which was a nice pairing, though the flavors of the food maybe slightly overpowered the wine.
We found this wine at Trader Joe's on our journey last week in pursuit of interesting wines. We've seen Vinho Verde wines in stores before, but we wanted a Vinho Verde from Trader Joe's or Costco on recommendation from a trusted source on Portuguese wines.
Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes
7.5. This is a pretty inoffensive white wine. Nothing super special. I get hints of lime and maybe grapefruit. I would also call it off-dry and relatively acidic. I like it, but I don't think it's anything I'd go to a store specifically to get, though I would drink it if offered it.
Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes
7.3. On the nose I'm getting lime peel, yellow apple, and pool water. As for its taste, it is similar to a watered-down lemonade, with a couple green Jolly Ranchers thrown in. There's not a whole lot going on, but I'm getting slight hints of minerality as well, giving a little bit of depth to the wine. Also, the carbonation is quite pleasant and gives it a good mouth feel which I can appreciate. The finish is pretty short and abrupt and leaves the mouth a little dry. Overall, it's a pretty simple wine and easy to drink.
References
[1] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.
[2] "Beginner's Guide to Vinho Verde Wine." Wine Folly. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/vinho-verde-the-perfect-poolside-wine-from-portugal/. Accessed: May 2023.