Summer of Vinho Verde in Memphis

Vinho Verde continues to produce wines that are a great bargain and go well with the kinds of foods we eat here in Memphis during the summer. It's easy to think that you've only got that little green, slightly sweet wine, but the region has a great deal of diversity and I hope that everyone has the opportunity to explore this delightful region. I've reviewed eighteen bottles of Vinho Verde in the past and with these two am proud to round up to twenty.

With this pair, I've got a slightly fizzy rosé and a still white, yet you could grab both for just a little over $20. I talk a lot about "gateway" wines, and Vinho Verde certainly fits the bill. It's not just about giving someone their first taste of wine, it's also about convincing the beer drinker that, as much as we all love beer, there are other BBQ beverages out there. Ditto for Prosecco, Cava, various Crémants from France... Also, The sparkling Vinho Verde wines are great practice bottles for folks that haven't opened up a lot of sparklers. There's not a lot of pressure so if the cork pops out, nobody's going to get hurt. As I tell everyone, twist gently and let the air pressure remove the cork. No need to hit someone in the eye and dump a third of the bottle all over your trousers.

NV Las Lilas Rosé
Vinho Verde, Portugal
60% Vinhão, 30% Borraçal and 10% Espadeiro
$9, 10% abv.

Fun, slightly sweet with just a touch of fizz and a light profile of watermelon and strawberry. Pair with raw oysters and sea salt.

NV Adega Ponte de Lima Loureiro
Vinho Verde, Portugal
100% Loureiro
$12, 11% abv.

Light and crisp, delicate body with a mineral base and slightly tart touch of lemon. Even better with boiled shellfish. Speaking of which...

I took these bottles along when my friend Melissa invited me over to her horse farm for a shrimp boil on Memorial Day.

Moments after this photo was taken, the aluminum trays were dumped onto the newspaper covering the picnic tables, and we all dove in to eat shrimp and li'l smokies and corn and potatoes as God intended: with greasy fingers and stray kernels in the beard. The Portuguese have their own traditions of pig roasts and mussel festivals, but their wines adapt quite well to our traditions here in the Delta. I hope that as the summer continues, all of you are able to incorporate affordable European wines like these into your American cookouts. It's a great way to connect culinary traditions across centuries and oceans.

Note: These wines were provided as samples for review.

November Wines of Vinho Verde

Over the years, I've recommended Vinho Verde for Thanksgiving, and in those cases I was talking about the green, slightly sweet, low alcohol wines most often associated with that region of Portugal. Yet over the years I've had the opportunity to try a lot of different wines from Vinho Verde, and while both of these have a little fizz on them, they are otherwise serious, delicious, and food-friendly bottles that would still certainly be welcome on the Thanksgiving table.

NV Quinta da Lixa Aromas das Castas
Vinho Verde
Alvahrino, Trajadura
$13, 12.5% abv

Bone dry, light aromas of apple blossoms and touch of lemony acidity on the palate. Gentle fizz and a delicate, mineral-driven finish. If ever a wine screamed out for roast turkey with gravy, it would be this one.

2012 Quinta das Arcas Conde Villar Rosé
Vinho Verde
100% Esapadeiro
$10, 11.5% abv.

Again, a slight fizz that mostly disappears as the wine rests in the glass. There is an alluring tart apricot skin aroma but with a gentle light fruit body. Once again, this is a dry rosé, and one with a light raspberry finish that keeps you coming back for more. In the eternal struggle of ham vs. turkey for Thanksgiving, this is the one that is going to appeal more to the ham lovers. I count myself in that group, and have been known to smuggle in jars of Dijon mustard to family gatherings. Nothing quite like a roast ham with brown sugar glaze and a healthy dollop of mustard.

Note: These wines were provided as samples for review.

Lobster Salad, Vinho Verde, and a Wine Chiller

I found myself on a Saturday with lobsters, Vinho Verde, and a wine product for review. Time to multitask.

I've written about lobster rolls many times but at this point, I think I enjoy them more than a freshly steamed lobster. I grab a couple of the pre-cooked and frozen lobsters from the grocery store when they go on sale, thaw them, shell them, and then dice up the meat with mayonnaise, bell pepper, black pepper, and a few other bits of magic. Tossed on a buttery split-top bun, the lobster salad is heavenly. For the ease of serving a quick and refreshing lunch, I like sea salt and vinegar kettle chips.

Now we need something to wash down that sammich. With perfect timing, a pair of wines from Vinho Verde had arrived on the quarterly schedule. While both were repeats for me, I was delighted to try them and found them to be an excellent match on a lazy holiday weekend.

NV Gazela Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, Portugal
Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso, and Azal
$6, 9% abv.

Gazela, meaning "gazelle" in Portuguese, is using the tag line sabe bem com a vida ("goes well with life"). I've had this wine many times in the past and it's one of the best wines you'll find at the six dollar level. Crisp, light and delicate, barely any bubbles. Mild citrus notes with just a hint of flowers and tropical fruit. Easy and very enjoyable when iced down and sipped with appetizers.

NV Las Lilas Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, Portugal
85% Loureiro, 7.5% Trajadura, 7.5% Arinto
$10, 10% abv.

Dry and crisp with aromas of jasmine and flowers, appropriate for a wine named after lilacs. This one had a rounder body and a fuller mouthfeel, and was almost entirely still. An excellent dry Portuguese white wine that plays well off the saltiness from the lobster.

The Gazela was chilled in the Cool Coat designed by Dane Jakob Wagner, included in the MODaffekt design collection. While my own house is not supplied with modern Scandinavian products, this group does have some neat products, like a combination decanter/aerator, and for some reason, the splash! bowl tickles my fancy.

The Cool Coat retails for $45 and features a freezable insert sleeve that you can't see in my above photo but does the main work of chilling the wine. You can unbutton the coat for more callipygian sparkling bottles, and the collar can be adjusted to your own desired degree of "popped".

It is expensive for something that can be replaced by a nearby refrigerator, but the stitching is perfect, the outer fabric is reflective and looks beautiful close up, and frankly, whenever I see the little white and green shirt hugging a bottle I smile a little. Maybe I'm experiencing hygge. It's very sturdy and should hold up well for years to come.

Note: These wines and the cool coat were provided as samples.

Late Winter Vinho Verde

While I often crave the light and sparkly Vinho Verde in the hot Memphis summer, I enjoy it in the colder months as well. It's a fun wine to bring to family Thanksgiving, and during a cold March afternoon Julia and I got to sample these with various appetizers and sushi. The latter was a new pairing for me, but it worked out well. Nothing too terribly fancy, but the grocery store carries a lot of nigiri rolls and sashimi that are fun to nibble while watching TV.

Vinho Verde lightly sparkling wines are the ultimate in casual wine consumption. Low prices, low alcohol, low fizz, and delicate flavors. You can pair them with just about anything, and it doesn't hurt to keep a few bottles around for that guest that swears he or she "doesn't like the taste of wine". With Vinho Verde, there's none of the waiting around for a special occasion like with Champagne, it's more about trying to find any argument not to just open it up and enjoy it with a grilled cheese sandwich.

NV Broadbent Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, Portugal
Loureiro, Trajadura and Pedernã
$9, 9% abv.

Dry and surprisingly earthy with aromas of citrus peel and peach. Small bubbles and a clean, fruity finish. This one needs to be served with ham or salmon or something else savory to enhance the earthiness and balance out the medium acidity.

2011 Lagosta Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, Portugal
20% Arinto, 30% Trajadura, 30% Loureiro, 20% Azal
$7, 9% abv.

Lightly bubbly with crisp acidity and touches of apple and lemon, though still dry. It is pleasant and uncomplicated and refreshing, which after a long day at work is sometimes the perfect glass of wine.

Note: These wines were received as samples.

Vinho Verde for Thanksgiving

The holidays are coming up, and with them comes the rush of samples and the flurry of questions about what to pair with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. As always, the answer depends a lot on what you're having for dinner, and I'll get more into my pairing philosophy later on. But with these two bottles of Vinho Verde, you've got a great solution to the eternal problem: "What do I serve to people who don't drink wine on a regular basis?"

I'm not saying that these aren't serious wines--far from it. It's a very traditional wine for that region of Portugal. But they're light, low in alcohol, a little sweet, and non-threatening. There's no aroma of barnyard or tobacco or cough syrup, and when chilled they're really easy to drink. Vinho Verde is perfect for the novice wine drinker or someone who's been scared off by more powerful wines in the past. There's a style of wine out there for just about every occasion, and even I really enjoy this type with turkey and sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

You can also consider the ten other bottles I've reviewed over the years.

2011 Adamado Vinho Verde
Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura
$9, 10% abv.

This is the classic Vinho Verde that most people know: light and slightly fizzy with a crisp, short finish. Low alcohol and a mild body mean that it's light and refreshing. This one has light citrus notes with just a hint of sweetness. This is a great bargain, and with over 100,000 cases made, it shouldn't be too difficult to find.

2011 Cruzeiro Vinho Verde Branco
Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura
$9, 9% abv.

White Vinho Verde is not as well known here in the US. It is drier and not fizzy, but maintains a delicate body and again, low alcohol. This one has very faint earth and mineral aromas with a light body. Rounder mouthfeel than the above with a smooth finish. This would be incredible with milder seafood dishes like a clam chowder or baked trout.


Note: These wines were received as samples.

Vinho Verde

Ah, yet another blistering summer in the South... While we have had a brief rainy respite over the past week, it's ramping back up and we've got a long way to go. It's the perfect situation for throwing some light Vinho Verde in the refrigerator and enjoying a cool glass with dinner.

Over the past couple of years I've gotten to try a lot of different wines of the Vinho Verde region, including still reds, whites, and rosés. But these are the slightly fizzy green wines that most people associate with the name.

Gateway Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, Portugal
Blend of Trajadura, Loureiro, Arinto and Azal
$10, 9.5% abv.
After telling so many people that Vinho Verde is a good gateway wine for novices, it's fun to see one actually called that. Fittingly, this is a very standard representative sample of the style. Light pear aromas, a touch of sweetness, a good amount of fizz, and low alcohol.

2011 Arca Nova Loureiro
Vinho Verde, Portugal
100% Loureiro
$10, 11.5% abv.
I'd never had this grape on its own before, and was expecting a still wine. But it was fizzy, and yet very different from the first. Very low fruit with darker, floral aromas. Completely dry and fuller bodied with a long finish. More of a thinker, and one that I found myself exploring more as it warmed up in the glass.

Julia and I enjoyed both of these with lamb gyros and hummus, and the Mediterranean flavors worked out great even if we're talking about opposite ends of the sea.


Note: These wines were received as samples.

Portuguese Wines

Today at BWR we're looking at a couple of white Portuguese table wines. This is a further exploration of the Vinho Verde/Minho River region, which has far more depth than the simple but fun "green wine" that most people know. It's also a region curious for bottles: even some of the whites like this one get a little blue tinge to the glass to give that verde look, but I'm fascinated by the tall conical bottle of Alvarinho. Do any readers know the name of that bottle style? It's just 750mL, though too tall to fit upright in the refrigerator (or on its side in the wine fridge), but I love the shape and I'm thinking that this is going to live on my counter as an olive oil repository. Not only will the dark glass protect the oil, but I can provide a slight drizzle over crostini from across the dinner table.

2011 Las Lilas Vinho Verde Branco
Loureiro and Treixadura
$8, 10% abv.
Light and mild, lemon and rose petals, just a touch of acidity and a pleasant finish. Not fizzy at all like the more well known Vinho Verde, just a mild white table wine. I had this with grilled salmon and steamed sweet corn, and the latter turned out to be a pairing made in heaven. I wasn't missing the buttered popcorn flavor of a heavily oaked chardonnay, but it was so much fun to enjoy the light wine between bites of salty, buttery corn.

2011 Arca Nova Alvarinho
Vinho Regional Minho (sort of a Portuguese Vin de Pays designation)
100% Alvarinho (Albariño)
$13, 13% abv.
Slightly dusty aroma of dried apricot, but very slight. Very austere with low acidity, good minerality, a round mouthfeel, and a quick finish. It's a solid wine, but doesn't really shout about any of its characteristics. Almost too mild for food, but on its own it's remarkable in its restraint. I don't often compare wines to songs, but this one made me think of Njósnavélin by the Icelandic group Sigur Rós. Ignore the images in the fan video, just listen to the song and think of a stony, restrained white wine that is nothing like the tinny Pinot Grigios or fat Chardonnays that dominate the market.

Both of these are highly recommended great bargains, but also tie in to my constant advice that there are so many affordable, delicious, food-friendly wines from the Iberian peninsula. You won't be wowed every time for under $15, but you'll rarely be disappointed and once the food is on the table, you'll figure out why these wines were developed there over the past four thousand years.

Note: These wines were received as samples.

Vinho Verde, Mas Não Verde

Because it's not easy being green, the folks at Vinho Verde Wines US sent along a white and a rosé from the northern wine region of Portugal famous for young, fresh wines. I'm always excited to try something off the beaten path, but I also got to add a few grapes to the life list with these wines.

Once again, Vinho Verde isn't really green, but most people just think about the slightly verdant, fizzy, low alcohol wine with a good dose of sweetness. It's a fun party wine and a great way to introduce people to wine in general. But the region also produces regular whites and reds and, new to me, a rosé.

2010 Casa de Vila Verde Branco
Vinho Verde
Blend of Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso, Loureiro, Azal Branco
$10, 11.5% abv.
Dark apple aromas and flavors with a bit of overripe peach. Tart and acidic but with a smooth finish. Just a touch of sweetness. Enjoyed with chicken and pasta, but should be great for a wide range of poultry dishes.

2010 Great Sense Vinho Verde Rosado
Vinho Verde
60% Touriga Nacional, 40% Espadeiro
$6, 10.5% abv.
Just barely fizzy, and bone dry. Ripe strawberry aromas and flavors, with mellow mouthfeel followed by a sharp tang on the finish. I was concerned that a six dollar pink wine was going to be sweet and rough, but I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this with a little crusty bread and brie on a sunny afternoon. Excellent picnic wine.


Note: These wines were received as samples.

A Whiter Shade of Vinho Verde

I love the classic early 90s Irish film The Commitments, and I've even seen the related quasi-sequels The Snapper and The Van, back when you had to drive out to a dark, grimy theater in the weird part of town to watch foreign movies. You kids with your Netflix and iTunes don't know how easy you have it. I watched Chasing Amy surrounded by senior citizens, but I'm not going to explain here why that particular experience was so odd and uncomfortable.

The reason why I bring up The Commitments is that there's a scene where the keyboardist is practicing on the church pipe organ*, and he's playing "A Whiter Shade of Pale". He and the band manager are discussing the line about the Vestal Virgins, stating that they don't understand it, and the priest surprises them, saying, "I never understood that either. It's a very peculiar lyric."

In my usual roundabout way, the title of that song popped into my head when I unboxed a sample of white Vinho Verde (paradoxically darker than the green variety). I know that the Portuguese region also makes a red wine in addition to the popular light fizzy wine, but I still wasn't expecting it. Even after tasting thousands of wines in my lifetime, I'm still surprised occasionally.

2009 Casa de Vila Verde
$10, 11.5% abv.
Proprietary blend of Arinto, Loureiro, and Trajadura.

Lots of lime and orange pith and peel, with a slightly bitter edge. Crisp and fruity, tart acidity, and a short finish. There's a mineral edge on the aftertaste that I like, though with every sip I find myself craving salt and cured meats. You don't always have to match a wine to a food of its country of origin, but this would be incredible with a big pot of mussels and chorizo with a few loaves of crusty bread.


*My childhood church, being of the ancient Scottish Presbyterian variety, had a massive pipe organ that required a lot of 18th century maintenance. The one and only time I was given access to it (not during a service--the sanctuary was empty) I started playing my favorite song that I knew from piano lessons: Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer", thanks to my great-grandfather's love of ragtime. (Of course, he was a kid when that was new and popular.) The woman who was in charge of our little group of choir singers was not a fan, and as I was forcibly removed from the bench, I heard the words that I will never forget to my dying day: "YOU DO NOT PLAY JAZZ IN A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH!"

Note: This wine was received as a sample.

Vinho Verde

The first time I ever heard of Vinho Verde was a little indirect. I was typing up a very odd wine list for a restaurant. I don't mean odd in the sense of being eclectic and exotic, but rather that every grape name was horribly misspelled and there were Chardonnays in the red column. The owner had opted for a simple color categorization, so you had Red Wines, White Wines (confusingly containing dessert wines and sparklers that were not marked as such), Pink Wines, and finally a category of Green Wines, with a single entry: Vinho Verde. I shrugged it off as some misunderstanding, but looked it up when I got home. Despite the name's literal translation, Vinho Verde isn't green, and while it's usually served very young, it's not Beaujolais Nouveau young.

It's a good starter wine for people since it's a little sweet, low in alcohol, inexpensive, and pairs well with lots of different food. It's just barely fizzy, so you don't have to be careful opening it. Just enough to make it a little more fun. I've found it to be a big hit at family holiday gatherings for just those reasons. I'll usually say something like, "If you like lemonade, you'll love this." Takes the fear of wine out of the equation.

2009 Grinalda Vinho Verde
$13, 11.5% abv.
55% Loureiro, 32% Trajadura, 13% Alvarinho (Albariño)

Crisp and tart, very light when it comes to bubbles. Dominant aroma of green apple, and medium sweet. I decided to pair it with some spicy shrimp tacos from Humdingers, the first time I'd tried Vinho Verde with something hot. It was a great match, and it's a wine that's not often thought of in those eternal discussions about what to pair with Mexican, Thai, or Indian food.

2009 Broadbent Vinho Verde
$11, 9% abv.
50% Loureiro, 40% Trajadura, 10% Pedernã.

Apple and pear, crisp acidity, restrained sweetness. The mineral elements and balanced acid/sweetness gives this the profile of a nice little Riesling. This had the stronger bubbles of the two, and I found myself preferring it overall. It's probably the most serious tasting Vinho Verde I've had, while still remaining a fun, casual wine. I served it with Chinese takeout--nothing special or authentic, just random fried rice and steamed dumplings. Again, the crispness worked well with the greasy/savory food.

Note: This Broadbent wine comes in a very tall, thin bottle that looks lovely, but may not fit in some carrying bags or wine storage units. I'm not complaining, but it's more of a warning to watch out for the top of the bottle. Like telling a tall friend to be careful walking under the chandelier.


Note: These wines were received as samples.

2007 Twin Vines Vinho Verde

I fixed a shellfish lunch for The Roommate and her mother last weekend. Florida pink shrimp and snow crab legs, plus a few ears of striking red corn. Deeper, earthier flavor than yellow or white sweet corn. Think about the difference between green and purple cabbage. Easy cooking all around--I just kept a big steamer pot going and tossed things in the basket as needed, and all of it could be eaten with fingers. The only thing missing was about three dozen raw oysters, but I don't particularly enjoy shucking them at home.

Based on the heat of the day and the food on the table, I pulled out a chilled bottle of the 2007 Twin Vines Vinho Verde, $10, 10% abv. 42% Loureiro, 39% Trajadura, 19% Pedernã. The bottle looks empty but it's full--Portuguese "green wine" is a very mild, light style, with low alcohol and a slightly fizzy body. Mild lemon flavors, comparable to a Pinot Grigio. But at least it's something new and different for most folks, whereas there's usually enough PG in a town to fill the water tower.

Also, due to the mild flavor and low alcohol, this is a great wine for friends and family that don't drink wine often. It's not sweet, but it's not totally dry either. And it will pair with just about any dish, so consider bringing a bottle to the next BBQ to throw in the cooler with the Coors Light and Diet Cokes.