Portugal: Vinho Verde DOC Flashcards
Vinho Verde DOC: Climate
-Nine sub -regions in the DOC of 16,200ha
-moderate maritime cliamte
-network of riover valleys that funnel Atlantic wind inland
- in the east, land rises and soils becom poorer / more continental
-eg. Baiao and Moncao e Melgaco are better with later ripening fruit such as Avesso and Alvarinho
-high rainfall 1,500mm
-vintage variation can be marked
for ripening and yields
eg. 2017 - 936,000 , 2018 - 731,000
-largest single producer of DOC wine in Portugak
SOILS: granite bedrock with. ashallow topsoil of decomposed granite and sandy, texture for good drainage
Manure is needed to boost the poor soils
Vinho Verde DOC: Vineyard Management
- rainfall throughout the years means frot and mildew etc are a hazard
- open canopies that allow air circualtion are important
-some older vineyards train their vines up trees or on terraces but most modern vineyards are planted in rows - single or double guyot replacement cane , VSP or Lyre - trained high from the ground
-Summer pruning to remove lateral shoots and green harvesting for productive varieites enhances ripeness and air circulation
Vinho Verde DOC: Grape Varieties
- 1960’s , 80% red, in 2008, 70% was white and by 2019, 82% white, 13% red and 5% rose
Loureiro - near the coast, early ripening. Wines are medium plus acid, citrus, pear, floral and herbal aromas
**Alvarinho - citrus, peach, tropical , Medium plus body, Med plus to High Acid, alsmost exclusively grown in the north region of Moncao e Melgaco but is now planted in other parts and the grape variety can appear on the label since 2016
Pederna - or Arinto - mid ripening, neutral wines with subtle citrus and apple and high acid
Other grapes :
Avesso - late ripening can fail to ripen unless its warm and dry
Grown inland in Baiao , Medium Acid , full bodies and Citrus, Stone Fruit
Trajadura - low in acid, apple peach - usually blended with higher acid grapes
Vinhao - most planted red , high acid and bright cherry fruit
Vinho Verde DOC: Winemaking
- inexpensive wines may use fruit sourced from across the region in a blend
-wines are made with SS , temp controlled , cool ferments
**-Most Vinho Verde is bottled for release soon after ferment and CO2 is added for a light spritz
**-Wines are low in alcohol, med plus to high acid and apple, citrus, or peach …some RS - good quality and made by co-ops or large merchants - higher priced wines may be made by single sub regions or single varietal , using ambient yeat, old oak for maturation and lees work - mid priced and generally very good
-
Vinho Verde DOC: Wine Law
-The name of the sub-region may appear on the label
Must have a min 9% abv
-Single varietal Alvarinho from Moncao e Melgaco must be made at lower yields and min abv of 11.5%
Legislation only sub-region of Moncao e Melgaco may have Alvarinho as a single variety on the label
( since 2016, if other sub regions add more than 30% Alvarinho in the blend it may appear on the label with the other varietals )
Producers from outside Moncao e Melgaco must declassify their wine to Minho VR if they wish to label it Alvarinho
Vinho Verde DOC: Wine Business
- very fragmented
-17,250 growers so every grower owns less than a HA
-most deliver to co-op or large merchants
-only 400 growers who bottle their own wines eg. Anselmo Mendes and Quinta de Soalheiro - exports are growing - now at 35%
Key markets are USA, Germany, Brazil and France
