“Deconstructing" Vinho Verde
I have never thought of Vinho Verde as more than a refreshing, inexpensive white wine, usually lowish in alcohol, sometimes slightly effervescent, sometimes a bit (too) acidic. The white Vinho Verde that I have known is a blend of grape varieties. I was surprised to learn how many different varieties are actually allowed in the blend. The Aveleda Fonte above is made up of four varieties: Loureiro,Trajadura, Arinto, Fernão Pires. Over recent decades, there has been a move towards making wine entirely from a single grape variety to highlight the “more serious” stand-alone possibilities of some of the grapes, and also to broaden and enhance the market for the wines of the region. In my travels, I managed to find a few examples of these “varietal” Vinho Verde to try. Here’s one.
2019 Soalheiro Alvarinho Monção e Melgaço Vinho Verde
100% Alvarinho from the Monção e Melgaço Vinho sub region of Vinho Verde, just across the Minho River from Spain’s Rias Baixas. I have enjoyed a few Albarino from Rias Baixa over the past year or so and am a fan. I looked forward to trying this bottle. I liked this Portuguese Alvarinho a lot, and to me it is different from the Spanish versions. The sample size is very small(n=3, n=1), but that is not going to stop me from generalizing about differences that may or may not be (generally) true. I recall the taste of the Spanish versions as being very exhuberant in flavor. Ripe, acidic and tasty. This Soalheiro offering, in contrast, presents itself more subdued, but it is delightful to my palate. It reminds me of a Riesling in the balance of its fruit, mineral, acid with a light touch of sweetness, though the taste profiles are very different between Riesling and Alvarinho/Albarino. There is a lingering citrus and fruit aftertaste here that I particularly enjoyed. 12.5% ABV. Highly Recommended. ~$25
P.S. 12/30/20 Finished the bottle with a dinner of lime/cilantro chicken with rice and beans. Muito boa comida e vinho!