European Wine Reference (Wine Folly)
Vinho Verde
Northern Portugal's unpretentious wine region — zesty, melony whites and tart, lean rosé from Albariño (Alvarinho) and Loureiro.
Vinho Verde is the name of a region in Northern Portugal famous for its zesty, melony white wines and tart, lean rosé. It is "about as unpretentious as it gets and will make your tacos taste outrageously classy." The regional grape celebrities are two whites: Albarinho (aka Albariño) and Loureiro, both of which taste a lot like fine dry Alsatian Riesling (source: European Wine Exploration Map _ Wine Folly.pdf) — a direct flavor bridge to the Rieslings of the Alsace Wine Route (see Alsace Grape Varieties).
Portugal's other entry in the Wine Folly map is Port, from the Douro Valley.
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