Map courtesy of Wine Folly.
You’ve probably heard of Albariño, the crisp Spanish white wine. But what about Alvarinho? It sounds similar, right? That’s because they are the same grape variety, with Alvarinho produced in Portugal’s Vinho Verde wine region, just south of Rias Baixas, where Albariño is made. Unsurprisingly, these two Iberian Peninsula wines share many similarities: both are crisp, fragrant, mineral-driven whites, a match made in heaven with seafood.
Vinho Verde translates as green wine and is named for its verdant landscape. It’s the largest wine DOC in Portugal, made up of nine subregions: Monção e Melgaço, Lima, Basto, Cávado, Ave, Amarante, Baião, Sousa, and Paiva.
While most Vinho Verde Alvarinho are light-bodied and slightly sparkling, with aromatic intensity and flavors like lime, grapefruit, lemon, and melon, the Monção e Melgaco subregion stands out for its fuller-flavored, structured, age-worthy wines of great depth and complexity. This distinction is due to its unique climate—a warmer, sunnier mix of maritime and continental influences—making it the only subregion without direct Atlantic influence.
Soalheiro WineryClimate
The name of the winery, “Soalheiro,” translates to “sunny place,” a nod to its favorable location. The winery, founded in 1982 by João António Cerdeira and still owned by the family, is among the most esteemed in Vinho Verde. Situated in the Melgaço and Monção sub-region, 50 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, Soalheiro’s vineyards are protected by mountains against the harsh oceanic rain and winds. The climate has an ideal balance of rainfall, temperature, and
This Article was originally published on The Wine Chef
