Vinho Verde is one of my favorite summer
pleasures and this week’s Wine Wednesday feature the Aveleda Praia Vinho Verde
is among the best I’ve had.
Vinho Verde translates as “green wine”,
but really means “young wine” as there are red, white and even rosé Vinho
Verde. It is “young wine” because most
are meant to be consumed within a year of bottling. Therefore, most bottles don’t
show a vintage year, though some list a bottling date. When shopping for Vinho
Verde, the younger the better. Vinho Verde is not a varietal, but rather a
growing region in the northwestern most area of Portugal.
The word Praia means beach in Portuguese and
the name was possibly chosen because of the vineyards proximity to the Atlantic
Ocean. Or maybe, it’s because it’s an exceptional wine for an afternoon on the beach.
Praia is a blend of 40% Arinto, 30%
Loureiro, 20% Trajadura and 10% Azal. The wine exhibits a pale straw color with
slightly grassy and herbal notes along with pronounced lemon. As with most
Vinho Verde, it is effervescent. Though not enough to be considered a sparkling
wine, it is lively and refreshing on the tongue. I particularly enjoyed the
luscious not-too-tart lemon and minerality on the finish. This one was a little
more interesting (I hesitate to say complex as it goes against the nature of
Vinho Verde), but more interesting than most.
It is the perfect complement to a salad
or seafood. Serve with Lobster BLT Salad
or nosh on Tortilla Chips with Garden Fresh Guacamole. Click the links below to
print or save the recipe pairing suggestions.
Lobster BLT Salad
Garden Fresh Guacamole
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