The rain had just stopped when we arrived in Cadem, and in front of us stretched a landscape radically different from what we had left behind in Alentejo. An explosion of fresh green, abundant and lush vegetation, dense humidity (I bitterly regretted choosing canvas slippers on my feet ), and an intense smell of freshly cut grass.

We had just arrived in Vinho Verde

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Vinho Verde (VV) is both a region and a style of wine, but it is NOT a grape variety. Geographically, we are looking at northern Portugal, near the border with Spain, covering an area of 700,000 hectares, of which only 34,000 hectares are covered with vineyards. And yet… Vinho Verde is the largest DOC wine region in Portugal (15% of the country’s area), even larger than the more famous neighboring region, the Douro Valley. The VV region includes 9 subzones, each with different microclimates, soils, and characteristics.

But why… VINHO VERDE?

No, it is not a green-colored wine but rather a straw-yellow to almost transparent one. The Portuguese gave it this name because of its freshness , it is a young wine, originally naturally sparkling, because bottling was rushed and fermentation continued in the bottle. The rush apparently didn’t spoil the result… the public loves the subtle fizz and as a result, producers now artificially carbonate the vast majority of VV bottles. VV is a light, “conversation” wine, extremely refreshing, lightly effervescent (it tastes like lemonade ), not exactly gastronomic (meaning it can be consumed on its own), and with low alcohol content, making it ideal for a summer day

WEATHER REPORT and… GEOLOGICAL

This is essential because otherwise, we cannot explain why the wines from the 9 sub-regions are so different. We focus on the northern and famous Monção-Melgaço and Lima (where we are also staying) and find here a lot of granite, known for its excellent drainage abilities and which leaves a deep mineral imprint on the wines. Basically, we find the same type of soil in the other sub-regions as well, but as we approach the borders with the Atlantic Ocean (west) and the Douro Valley (south), more acidic soils of schist type and even clay appear.
Climatically speaking, imagine that it rains here twice as much as in London , with ocean currents responsible for the rain (hence the forest vibe) and mountain ranges to the east and north.
So if we didn’t have porous soil, the vines wouldn’t survive with such a large volume of water. The grapes don’t fully ripen because of the constantly cloudy sky, and often the bunches containing green berries are used entirely in the fermentation process (hence the strong green fruit aromas).

GRAPE VARIETIES

Following the principle “you live and learn,” I will never forget the expression of a bartender when I asked for a glass of Alentejo instead of Alvarinho . Well, we find out that each sub-region in VV somehow has a star grape variety, mostly white varieties, namely:

• Alvarinho – the VIP grape dominating the northern part of the region, with an intense mineral profile, also found “across the border” in Spain but under the name “Albarinho“
• Arinto – an energetic variety found especially near the humid Atlantic shores
• Loureiro – mainly in the Lima area, distinguished by much more floral notes
• Azal & Avesso – varieties found in areas bordering the Douro Valley

PEDIGREE

Portugal prides itself on an impressive number of native grape varieties… almost 300 many with a fascinating history dating back to the Phoenicians and Romans who first planted vineyards in the Alentejo and Algarve areas. Although the Moors who conquered the peninsula in 711 AD were not fans of alcohol, somehow the vines survived, mostly for raisin production rather than wine. The British appear on the scene, and thanks to new trade routes, the Portuguese wine industry flourishes. You will see in the next article about the Douro/Porto area the impact the British had and still have in the region.

VINEYARDS & TASTINGS

Although the country’s largest wine region, VV is extremely fragmented, with plots and parcels belonging to more than 38,000 producers. This means you find the concept of “cooperatives” that collect and process grapes from these small “quintas” or farms (similar to Valdobbiadene in Italy). We begin in the Lima area, more precisely at Quinta Codecosa, part of Terra Rossa Vineyards, which stands out not only for its fairly large size 50 ha (a sort of Liliac from Transylvania) but also for the beauty of its two manor houses and even one chapel dating from the 18th century, harmoniously restored by host Eliana Rosa. The estate is absolutely superb, the photos prove it, and although we didn’t manage to time our visit to take part in the harvest, we chose a tasting package from their restaurant menu. We sampled (independently / i.e., without a sommelier) a sparkling wine and a Vinho Verde–style white, both based on Loureiro. Floral, with fresh aromas of citrus, green apple, pear and very mineral. We walked a bit through the vineyard after the tasting and there I saw how different the vine is compared to the south of the country where the heat wilts them: the plants are huge, tall and vigorous, styled more bohemian and with lots of fruit (emphasis on quantity).

The second, much more famous vineyard is the “serene” Soalheiro. A vineyard very dear to me and one I dreamed of visiting, because from here I tasted my first Vinho Verde . On the way, we notice how the clouds disappear the moment we arrive in Melgaço and understand the origin of the name: “soalheiro” = sunny place . Very close to the Spanish border (so close that the mobile network already saw us as being in ES) and somehow on the southern bank of the Minho River, Soalheiro enjoys a great microclimate, sheltered from ocean currents by a mountain barrier, enjoying less rainfall, cool nights, and warm sunny days (perfect combo ).

Soalheiro has its own vineyard but also acts as a cooperative, collecting from 150 farms, mainly the only grape variety grown in the sub-region, namely: Alvarinho* (*although there are also experimental quantities of Pinot Noir, etc.). Here we find a different kind of VV, more elegant, structured (I called it with a “backbone”) with impressive minerality and… no bubbles .

The beginnings were quite modest, in the sense that the founder João António Cerdeira started in 1974 by planting Alvarinho on a small plot and then processing it in his own garage. Over time, the business expanded and began collecting from the surroundings. We had a guided tour of the winery followed by a tasting on one of the most epic panoramic terraces overlooking the Minho valley ️.

Already a fairly common feature in Portuguese vineyards, it is worth mentioning that Soalheiro strongly believes in the concept of organic and sustainable viticulture, being the first winery in Portugal to receive an innovation certification in viticulture. Surprisingly, we initially had a tea tasting , learning with surprise that before Soalheiro took shape, on the lands where we now see vineyards, there were plantations of aromatic herbs. The tradition continues, and now the vineyard successfully cultivates both 100% organically (I highly recommend the Verbena tea ).

After “cleansing” our palate, we continued with a classic tasting of 3 types of Alvarinho, but what stayed with us was Granit – an excellent Alvarinho, a harmonious blend of minerality and acidity, lemon, apples, and meadow flowers. At the end, we learned that Soalheiro had been rated as one of the best vineyards in the world and that more recently they also offer accommodation in the winery, ideal for those who want to avoid driving and explore the Minho area – 》 https://soalheiro.com/guest-house-casa-das-infusoes/.

What we liked :

• traditions and new trends, not only in viticulture but also in design, gastronomy, and many other areas, do not exclude each other but rather blend harmoniously in Portugal
• warm and welcoming people regardless of the area
• the “philosophy” of wineries with a family focus
• everything we ate and drank

What we didn’t like much :

• maybe the English language, which is not widely spoken outside the big cities (but we found the same situation in Italy, France, Germany, etc.), though I can’t say it was a major obstacle

Would we go back? Amanhã (Tomorrow)