Tag Archives: vinho verde

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2023

women at table talking
“Do you think vinho verde would have paired better with this food?”

Vinho verde quality rebounded this year, but prices remain high

Vinho verde, the cheap Portuguese white wine (and sometimes rose) hasn’t been especially cheap the past couple of years. Which raises an intriguing question: What’s the point of a cheap wine that isn’t cheap anymore? If I can buy better quality wine for $15 (and I can), why would I spend $15 for vinho verde?

Having said that, most of the vinhos I tasted this year — save for long-time favorite Faisao — were of higher quality than last year. Sadly, the Faisao, both white and rose, were too soft, too sweet, almost flat, and huge disappointments.

What do you need to know about vinho (and the blog’s vinho verde primer is here)? The wines are usually non-vintage, with slightly sweet lemon-lime or apple fruit, a bit of fizz, and low alcohol — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather and summer food. Most of the cheapest wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela (and that often have a crab on the label), are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers.

The most dependable vinho verde is the Broadbent ($9, 9%), which was less soft and more interesting this year; Broadbent also makes a rose ($9, 10%) that is almost more rose-like than vinho.  Check out these other vinho verdes:

• Gazela Vinho Verde NV ($8, purchased, 9%): Stunning upgrade in quality from what used to be a very ordinary wine. It’s fresh, wonderfully fizzy, sweetish but not sweet, and has terrific lime fruit. Highly recommended. There’s also a rose that’s worth drinking, but not as well mdde. Imported by Evaton

• Aveleda Vinho Verde Fonte 2021 ($10, purchased, 9.5%): Quality vinho producer’s whose vintage product is usually worth paying for. This vintage has some lemon, isn’t too sweet, and the fizz is fizzy. Imported by Aveleda

• Casal Garcia Vinho Verde NV ($7, purchased, 9.5%): Don’t know what they did, but this year’s bottling is two or three steps up from the last time I tasted it. More structure, more integrated sweetness, better quality fizz and nice lemon-lime fruit. Highly recommended. Imported by Avelada

More about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2022
• Vinho verde review 2021
• Vinho verde review 2020
• Wine of the week: Herdade do Esporão Vinho Monte Velho 2021?

Photo: “Women Grow Business Boot Camp #wgbiz #dcweek _-164” by ShashiBellamkonda is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Yes, nutritional labels fit on wine bottles

Gazela nutrition facts label
Damn! Only 87 calories. Who knew?

The Gazela vinho verde found space – why can’t others?

Almost everyone – including the federal government – has come to the realization that wine needs ingredient and nutritional labels. But there is still resistance from wine, because that’s the way wine works.

Hence, this post, and the picture at the left: A nutritional label on the Gazela vinho verde.

I contacted the Gazela importer to find out why the producer (one of Portugal’s biggest) added the label. If I hear back, I’ll update the post.

But it’s easy to figure out why: Just 87 calories, which is about three-quarters of a typical glass of wine (and fewer than light beer); almost no carbs; and no fat. My only complaint is that the alcohol content (a measly 9 percent) is stuck up in the upper left hand corner of the back label; it should be next to the nutrition box.

So, yes, Gazela and parent Sogrape have lots of ulterior motives to add the information. Obviously, they’re going after the younger, hard seltzer demographic, which sees that beverage as a more healthy form of alcohol than wine – less calories, less carbs, and so forth. So the box is letting those consumers know that Gazela is just as “healthy” – fewer calories, even. In this, vinho verde has always struck me as the perfect wine alternative for all those hard thises and hard thats.

So, given wine’s resistance to nutrition and ingredient labels, I don’t much care how many ulterior motives Gazela and Sogrape have. Results matter, and this is one more crack in the anti-label wall.

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2022

Four women drinking wine
“Did you see what the WC said about vinho verde? We need to get some.”

There’s lots and lots of vinho verde available, but prices have gone up and quality is inconsistent

Vinho verde, the much maligned Portuguese white wine (and sometimes rose) with a little sweetness that usually doesn’t cost more than $8 or $9, has made the big time. How do I know this?

First, my local Total Wine carries eight private label vinhos. Say what you will about Total, the chain knows what sells. And if it has eight private labels, it must be selling lots and lots of vinho verde.

Second, this year’s version of the Casal Garcia got 90 points from a big-time member of the Winestream Media. It almost doesn’t matter if the wine is that well-made (it isn’t); what matters is that the Winestream Media is taking vinho seriously after years of lumping it with the rest of the cheap wine they ignore.

Neither of those, unfortunately, is good news. All that attention means prices are higher – I’ve seen $15 vinho verde, which would have been unheard of before the pandemic. And this year’s quality was disappointingly inconsistent. There was some old-fashioned 7Up fizz wine out there, something I haven’t tasted in several years.

The blog’s vinho verde primer is here. The wines are usually non-vintage, with slightly sweet lemon-lime or apple fruit, low alcohol, and a little fizz — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather. Most of the cheapest wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela (and that often have a crab on the label), are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers.

The three most dependable vinho verdes are the Broadbent ($9, 9%), which has been a little softer the past couple of years but still sets the standard; and the Faisao white and rose ($8/1-liter bottle, 10%). The rose remains Hall of Fame quality, somehow sweet, tart, and refreshing at the same time, while the white is only slightly less impressive.

Check out these other vinho verdes:

• Nobilis Vinho Verde NV ($9, purchased, 9%): Total Wine knockoff of the Broadbent (but that may be available elsewhere) that isn’t as full or as interesting. Having said that, still enjoyable (spritzy, lemon-lime fruit). And it comes with a nutrition facts label – just 87 calories and 2 grams of carbs. Who knew? Worth buying just for that. Imported by Evaton

• Vera Vinho Verde Rose 2021 ($12, sample, 12.5%): More complex pink vinho verde, with fresh strawberry fruit and almost pleasing sweetness. Would that California wines that pass themselves off as dry (and you know who you are) handle sweetness this well. Highly recommended. Imported by Ole & Obrigado

• Casal Garcia Vinho Verde NV ($6, purchased, 9.5%): This is as old-fashioned as vinho gets – the 7Up fizz, obviously sweet, and a hint of citrus fruit. Bring on the 100-degree days. Imported by Avelada

More about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2021
• Vinho verde review 2020
• Vinho verde review 2019
• Why aren’t we drinking more Portuguese wine?

Photo: “21 Leaders 2012 Honoree Robin Read and Women’s eNews Board Member June Cross” by WeNews is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Winebits 747: Ann Pollack, Vinho Verde, ancient wine

ann pollack
Ann Pollack, 1945-2022

This week’s wine news: Ann Pollack, long-time Drink Local stalwart, dies. Plus, young people like Vinho Verde and more ancient wine discoveries

• Ann Pollack, 1945-2022: Ann Lemons Pollack, who helped make Drink Local Wine a success, died last week. She was 76. Ann, along with husband Joe, was instrumental in the success of our Missouri event in 2011 in St. Louis. Ann, a food writer, knew everyone in town and used those contacts to plug the event. How else would a Chicagoan end up doing a spot on the uber-St. Louis radio station, KMOX? And, unlike so many other food writers, she understood that local wine was just as relevant as local food to the locavore movement. Even more important: Ann was a fine person, generous with her time and wisdom. The string of tributes in St. Louis-area media is not surprising.

• Vinho Verde: The WC, in my enthusiasm for Portugal’s cheap and delightful Vinho Verde white wine, never thought it would make me cool. But a British magazine reports that the hipsters are in love with a Vinho called Chin Chin: This “Portuguese white wine went viral in the same way as banana bread, quizzes and moderate depression – and its reputation has kept growing ever since. Particularly popular among drinkers in their 20s and 30s, the merrily named Vinho Verde also become symbolic of a new type of wine consumer.” What’s next for the WC? TikTok? BeReal?

• 6,300 year old wine: Wine may have been a part of everyday life in early Bronze Age Greece, according to a recent discovery in the northwestern part of the country. Researchers found grape seeds and pomace that had been preserved in a house fire that took place around 4300 BC. It’s not clear if the grapes for the wine were grown or foraged, but what is clear, says the report, is that this is the earliest evidence of wine production in Europe.

Photo: St. Louis Public Radio

vinho verde review 2017

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2021

vinho verde 2020Vinho verde 2021: Shortages abound, especially for the least expensive wines, but quality remains high

Two important things to note for the blog’s annual vinho verde post: First, the wines are in short supply in many parts of the country, and especially in Dallas. This, no doubt, is just one more example of pandemic-related supply chain problems.

Second, quality remains high, an impressive achievement given everything going on in wine that works against that these days. I didn’t really taste a poorly made wine this year; that’s the opposite of what happened when I started writing about vinho verde in 2009.

So what do you need to know about vinho verde? It’s a Portuguese white wine (sometimes rose) with a greenish tint that usually doesn’t cost more than $8 (the blog’s vinho verde primer is here). It has a slightly sweet lemon lime flavor, low alcohol, and a little fizz — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather. Most of the cheapest wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela (and that often have a crab on the label), are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers.

Check out these vinho verde 2021 suggestions:

• Broadbent Vinho Verde NV ($9, purchased, 9%): I’ve been drinking this three or four times a month over the past year, and why not? It’s cheap, well made, and refreshing. Still the vinho that sets the standard — a little sweeter in this version, and more subdued green apple fruit. Imported by Broadbent Selections

• Quinta da Lixa Pouco Comun 2018 ($15, purchased, 13%): This is an example of how much vinho has changed. It’s made with alvarinho, the Portuguese version of Spain’s albarino, instead of the typical blend. In this, it’s less savory than a quality Spanish albarino, but with more soft lemon fruit. Highly recommended. Imported by Grape2Glass

• Vera Vinho Verde 2019 ($10, purchased, 12.5%): This vintage vinho verde has a little more polish and a more refined sweetness than most (sort of lime fruit). It’s a step up from most riesling at that price. Imported by Ole & Obrigado

• Gazela Vinho Verde NV ($8, purchased, 9%): Solid, typical vinho — fizzy lime with a bit of sweetness. If all ordinary vinho was made this well, the wine world would be cheaper and more enjoyable. Imported by Evaton

• Santola Vinho Verde NV ($7, purchased, 9%): The quintessential crab label vinho verde — a bit sweet, lots of sour fruit, and some beer fizz. Make sure it’s chilled, and you’ll drink it until the bottle is gone and and then open another one. Imported by Direct Wine Imports

• Faisao Vinho Verde NV ($7/1-liter bottle, purchased, 10%): No, this isn’t as well done as the rose. But it remains quality wine, and especially for the price and in a liter bottle — sour lime fruit, fizzy, with just enough sweetness. Keep well chilled. Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

For more about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2020
• Vinho verde review 2019
• Vinho verde review 2018
• Winecast 45: DCanter’s Michael Warner and wine retail trends during the durationVinho verde review 2018

vinho verde review 2017

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2020

vinho verde 2020Vinho verde 2020: Producers are taking the fizzy, sort of sweet Portuguese wine more seriously than ever, and we’re the big winners

This year, for vinho verde 2020, I’m writing something I never thought I would write about vinho verde — several of these wines are candidates for the 2021 $10 Hall of Fame. That’s because the fizzy, sort of sweet Portuguese wine has always been about cheap, and quality often seemed like an accident. This year, though, the four wines I tasted were cheap and well made.

Vinho verde is a Portuguese white wine with a greenish tint that rarely costs more than $8 (the blog’s vinho verde primer is here). It has a slightly sweet lemon lime flavor, low alcohol, and a little fizz — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather. Most of the cheapest wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela, are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers.

Check out these vinho verde 2020 suggestions:

• Broadbent Vinho Verde NV ($9, purchased, 9%): This is the vinho that sets the standard, and the current bottling doesn’t disappoint. Not quite as sweet as last year, with more of a tart, green apple fruitiness.  Imported by Broadbent Selections

• Gazela Vinho Verde NV ($8, purchased, 9%): Solid, typical vinho — fizzy lime with a bit of sweetness. If all ordinary vinho was made this well, the wine world would be cheaper and more enjoyable. Imported by Evaton

• Aveleda Vinho Verde Fonte 2019 ($10, purchased, 9.5%): Perhaps the best vinho verde I’ve ever tasted — so much more than the usual. There’s a bit of structure, the tartness is fresh and limey, the fizz is legit, and the sweetness is buried in the back. Highly recommended. Imported by Aveleda, Inc.

• Faisao Vinho Verde NV ($5/1-liter bottle, purchased, 10%): Is this the best vinho verde on the list? Nope. Is it the best value? Probably, since it’s quality wine (sour lime fruit, fizzy, with just enough of an idea of sweetness) that comes in a liter bottle. Keep well chilled. Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

For more about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2019
• Vinho verde review 2018
• Vinho verde review 2017

vinho verde review 2017

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2019

vinho verde 2018Vinho verde 2019: Better quality this year than in 2018, including the always dependable Broadbent plus the Gazela and Faisao.

The vinho verde 2019 review is good news — much improved quality from 2018, with prices about the same as last year. How can we do better than that?

Vinho verde is a Portuguese white wine with a greenish tint that rarely costs more than $8. It has a slightly sweet lemon lime flavor, low alcohol, and a little fizz — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather.

Our vinho verde primer is here. Most of the cheaper wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela, are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers. These vinho verde 2019 suggestions will get you started:

• Broadbent Vinho Verde NV ($8, purchased, 9%): Not quite as well done as the 2018 (it’s missing some acidity), and it’s a little sweeter this year. But it remains balanced, rounded, and enjoyable — the vinho verde that sets the standard. Imported by Broadbent Selections

• Gazela Vinho Verde NV ($6, purchased, 9%): Stunningly enjoyable, and especially given how wretched it was last year. This bottling is not as complete as the Broadbent, but it’s not stupid, either — lemon lime fruit, pleasant spritiziness, and not too sweet. Much more than $6 worth of wine. Imported by Evaton

• Asnella Vinho Verde 2017 ($15, sample, 12.5%): Vintage vinho verde is becoming more common, but you still don’t see much of it. This bottle is more layered and more subtle than the $8 non-vintage labels — mostly dry, a more tropical fruit style, much less fizz, and more crispness. Imported by Ole Imports

• Bernador Vinho Verde NV ($5, purchased, 9%): This Aldi private label was perhaps the biggest surprise of vinho verde 2019 — almost dry, the correct amount of fizz, and with refreshing lime fruit. It’s a little thin on the back, but that’s not necessarily a problem.

• Aveleda Vinho Verde 2017 ($6.50, purchased, 9.5%):

• Faisao Vinho Verde NV ($7/1-liter bottle, purchased, 10%): The Faisao is noticeably sweet, something that I don’t usually like. But there’s enough crackly lemon-lime fruit and the fizziness is so well done that I drank it with dinner (roasted chicken thighs marinated in orange and lime juice, herbs, garlic and olive oil) and enjoyed it. And how can you argue with the price for a 1-liter bottle? Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

For more about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2018
• Vinho verde review 2017
• Vinho verde review 2016