Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde is the wine region of Portugal's green, rainy north-west, between the Douro and the Minho river. It makes fresh, light whites from Alvarinho, Loureiro and Arinto, plus some sparkling wines and a few reds. These are the bottles we stock at POP.

Torn between Alvarinho and Loureiro? Come to the bar in Graça and taste them side by side before you buy.

Alvarinho, Loureiro and the others

"Verde" means young, not green: these wines were made to be drunk early. The region is cool and Atlantic, the soils are mostly granite, and the acidity stays high.

• Alvarinho is the fuller one, with peach and citrus, and it can age a few years. It grows mostly in Monção e Melgaço, on the border with Spain. Try Casa do Capitão-Mor Alvarinho White.
• Loureiro is lighter and floral. Casa de Paços Loureiro White is our everyday bottle, Quinta da Palmirinha Loureiro White 2022 is a step up.
• Azal is sharp and tastes of green apple. You rarely see it on its own, so Quinta da Palmirinha Azal White is a nice oddity.

Bubbles, too

Some cheap Vinho Verde gets a little gas added at bottling. Our pet nats are another thing: they finish fermenting in the bottle, so they come out cloudy, dry and a bit wild. Quinta da Raza Pet Nat Sparkling Rosé is made from Padeiro and Vinhão. For an Alvarinho with bubbles, try Terrunho d'Alma Alvarinho Sparkling. There is more on our sparkling wine page.

How to serve it

Cold, around 8 to 10°C. Once open, a white keeps two or three days in the fridge with a stopper. Drink it with grilled sardines, clams, octopus salad or fried fish. It also works very well on a hot evening at the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, 30 metres from our door.

Questions we get asked

Is Vinho Verde a green wine?

No. Verde means young. Most Vinho Verde is white, pale lemon in the glass, and the region also makes rosé and red.

Is Vinho Verde fizzy?

Some of it is, lightly, mostly the inexpensive blends where a little carbon dioxide is added at bottling. Good Alvarinho and Loureiro are usually still, and pet nats are fully sparkling.

Is Alvarinho the same grape as Albariño?

Yes. Alvarinho is the Portuguese name, used on the south bank of the Minho river. Albariño is the Spanish name, used in Rías Baixas in Galicia.

Is there red Vinho Verde?

Yes, mostly from Vinhão, a grape with red flesh. It is dark, tart and tannic, and in the north it is drunk young and cool with grilled meat.