Green wine, what is it? Through our new-found friends Åsa and Sverker in Portugal, with the blog Bortugal, we have become aware of "Vinho verde". Vinho verde means green wine and is a young light wine from Portugal. A new favourite for sure!
Vinho verde - a good and affordable wine
Vinho verde is grown in the Minho wine region in north-west Portugal. The climate there is cooler, so the grapes are rich in acid but low in sugar. This makes the wine fresh, and it is also often lightly carbonated. The result is an easy-drinking and slightly bubbly wine, which goes well with light seafood dishes, or as a social wine - preferably on a sunny day!
We've only seen vinho verde as a white wine, but if you read up on it, it's apparently also available as a red. This sounds a bit odd, but the reason is apparently that when you talk about "green", you actually mean that the wine is young, rather than describing its colour. In comparison, you can talk about mature wine, i.e. "vinho maduro".
The green wine we tried is really good, and also affordable. The bottle pictured below costs around €30 in shops here in Portugal.
Green wine and baked fish
Tonight we had Vinho verde and baked fish here in the motorhome. We bought a fish called Robalo, which turned out to be very good! Most fish are whole in the fish counter, but when you go shopping they make a cut along the belly and take out the guts. Very practical!
We don't know how the Portuguese cook the fish, but we cook it in the oven or on the grill. Since the fish is stuck together in the back, it is also easy to stuff it, for example with lemon slices or herbs.
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Mr Steve says:
Yummy! Well chilled Vinho verde with a good fish dish on a hot summer day. I can't wait!
12 January 2015 - 5:53
Snows says:
The same wine is available in Sweden but at twice the price, of course 😉.
Fish is always a safe and healthy choice!
12 January 2015 - 7:43
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
We pretty much live on fish when we are in Portugal Robalo - sea bass we liked. Often bought Durado but we bought other varieties too. We have an oven in the car so it is usually cooked in it. The Portuguese grill the fish.
Nice to see pictures from the Albuferia and the gala with many familiar faces. We have been invited the times we have been there.
Goodbye
Nisse
12 January 2015 - 9:53
admin says:
Steve, can agree that it is a drink for hot summer days!
Znogge, Systembolaget has a good selection, so I can imagine! However, we have not discovered the wine until now...
Nils-Åke, good to hear that you (and the Portuguese) like the fish! We also have an oven - very good! Also nice that you recognise people in the pictures!
🙂
12 January 2015 - 10:00
Åsa says:
Gazelan is affordable in Sweden too, for about 50 SEK. Perfect summer wine. As for the fish, the Portuguese cook it without any frills. Rubbed with salt and grilled! Simple and delicious! Although it sounded good to fill it with something like you do! / Åsa
12 January 2015 - 10:06
Frankie & Co says:
Oh that sounds fresh! Is it 'compatible' with migraine susceptibility and a gratefully awaited alternative to rose perhaps.
Here we have not even finished the mulled wine ☺ looks like it can be stored until next season.
12 January 2015 - 10:37
admin says:
Åsa, interesting to know how they cook the fish! So far it has mostly been in the oven for us, but soon the grill will be out!
Frankie & Co, yes this wine feels easy to drink without much risk of a headache! Haha, aged mulled wine was something new!
😉
12 January 2015 - 11:41
Ditte says:
How nice both with the "vinho verde" and the baked fish.
I remember buying "vinho verde" here in Sweden many years ago and drinking it chilled. I have also tried it in Portugal where it tasted even better. But it is perhaps the environment that affects it all.
It's nice to have a wide range of fish to choose from and to try new flavours.
Here it is snowing today and a few degrees below zero, so I miss more southern regions. But we leave in a couple of weeks.
12 January 2015 - 13:03
admin says:
Ditte, wines are perhaps best suited to this warm climate! Great that it's almost time to head south!
12 January 2015 - 18:33
Katta's Considerations says:
We also like botanising among wines... I have tried Vino Verde. However, it is probably suitable for drinking in the heat. Enjoy!
12 January 2015 - 20:38