DOC Vinho Verde Portugal

History and location

Wines from the Vinho Verde Controlled Designation of Origin are made in the area between the Cambra Valley and the Minho River, in northeastern Portugal. The DOC Vinho Verde was created in 1984 and is known particularly for white, dry, young and high acidity wines.

The DOC Vinho Verde is divided into sub-regions: Amarante, Ave, Baião, Basto, Cávado, Lima Monçao, Paiva and Soussa, covering about 21,000 hectares of land with vineyards owned by about 22,000 winemakers. It is worth mentioning that it is Portugal’s most exported wine.

Character: grape, soil and climate

The characteristics of vinhos verdes are a direct consequence of their proximity to the Atlantic. This gives them the perfect freshness and acidity. They also have a low alcohol content ranging between 8.5 and 14 %, which makes them perfect to enjoy with meals and snacks.

The most commonly used grapes for white vinhos verdes are Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso and Azal. The red vinhos verdes are made with Binhao, Borraçal and Amaral. There are also rosé vinhos verdes made with the native Espadeiro and Padeiro grapes as well as some others.

Main wineries in the DOC Vinho Verde

The main wineries in this DOC are Nieport and Quinta de Soalheiro. That is why the Decántalo sommeliers have included them in our catalogue, because they perfectly represent the essence of vinho verde.