Wine of the Week: Regueiro Trajadura/Alvarinho Branco 2024

A Portuguese White Made for Summer — and Maybe Thanksgiving 

If you love Albariño, let me introduce you to Alvarinho.

Actually, you may already know it.

Albariño and Alvarinho are the same grape. Cross the border from Spain into Portugal and Albariño becomes Alvarinho. And if you enjoy the bright acidity, citrus and mineral character of Albariño, Portuguese Alvarinho should definitely be on your wine radar.

This week's Wine of the Week, Regueiro Trajadura/Alvarinho Branco 2024, takes Alvarinho and blends it with another Portuguese white grape, Trajadura, creating a light, refreshing wine that's pretty darn perfect for these hot August days.

In the Glass

This is one of those wines that doesn't need an occasion. Chill it down, pour yourself a glass and enjoy.

The Regueiro Trajadura/Alvarinho Branco 2024 is light-bodied with really nice acidity. On the nose, I picked up hints of straw and slate, which immediately had me expecting that mineral character to carry through to the palate.

And it did.

There's a lovely streak of minerality along with lemon and citrus notes that keeps everything bright, crisp and refreshing. It's the kind of wine that makes you want another sip.

Trajadura helps soften some of Alvarinho's acidity and brings a little more roundness to the blend, making this an incredibly easy-drinking white.

From Northern Portugal

Quinta do Regueiro is located in Côto, Alvaredo, in Melgaço, right in the heart of the Monção e Melgaço subregion of Vinho Verde in northern Portugal. This is prime Alvarinho country.

The winery's story began in 1988 as a small family project with the planting of its first Alvarinho vines. After years of learning, growing and making wine initially for their own consumption, the family registered the Quinta do Regueiro brand and released its first commercial vintage in 1999.

One of the things that makes this area particularly interesting for Alvarinho is its terroir. Quinta do Regueiro's vineyards include higher-elevation sites planted on granite soils, conditions the winery credits with contributing pronounced acidity, minerality and the ability of its Alvarinho wines to develop in bottle.

And that mineral personality certainly came through in my glass.

What's for Dinner?

Seafood immediately comes to mind with this wine.

I'd pour it with clams, especially clams steamed with garlic and herbs, or a beautiful plate of scallops. Its citrus and acidity would also work nicely with chicken or turkey.

Which got me thinking...

Thanksgiving.

Yes, I know it's August.

But hear me out.

We always spend so much time thinking about Thanksgiving reds, but a bright, mineral-driven white can be wonderful with turkey and many of the dishes that end up on the Thanksgiving table. The acidity helps keep your palate refreshed through all those rich sides, while the citrus and mineral notes won't overpower the food.

So maybe you don't buy just one bottle of this.

Pick up a few.

Drink one now while you're sitting outside trying to survive the summer heat — and tuck another couple away for November.

See? I'm just helping you plan ahead.

Wine of the Week: Vale do Homem Loureiro 2022 Vinho Verde DOC

When most people hear the words Vinho Verde, they often think of an inexpensive, slightly fizzy white wine that appears at summer picnics and backyard barbecues. While that's not entirely wrong, Vinho Verde is so much more than that. This week's Wine of the Week, the Vale do Homem Loureiro 2022 Vinho Verde DOC, is a perfect example of why this region deserves a closer look.

On a recent hot evening, I pulled this bottle from the refrigerator looking for something crisp, refreshing, and easy to enjoy. What I found was a wine bursting with personality, vibrant acidity, and a hint of spritz, making it incredibly refreshing.

In the Glass

The nose opens with aromas of citrus blossom, green apple, pear, and fresh lime zest. As the wine opens, subtle floral notes emerge, characteristic of the Loureiro grape.

On the palate, the wine is light-bodied and lively, showing flavors of lemon, green apple, pear, and a touch of white peach. A subtle mineral note runs through the wine, adding complexity and balance. One of the hallmarks of many Vinho Verde wines is a slight natural effervescence, and this wine delivers a gentle spritz that enhances its refreshing character without overpowering the fruit.

The finish is crisp, clean, and mouthwatering, making it nearly impossible to stop at one glass. And we didn’t, we had two bottles. No judging.

Understanding Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde is not a grape variety. It is a wine region located in the northwestern corner of Portugal, known for its lush green landscapes, Atlantic influence, and cool climate.

The name "Vinho Verde" literally translates to "green wine," but it refers to the wines’ youthful style rather than their color. The region produces white, rosé, and red wines, though white wines are by far the most widely recognized internationally.

The region is divided into nine sub-regions, each with its own unique growing conditions. This wine comes from the Cávado Sub-Region, located between the Cávado and Homem rivers. The area's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean contributes cooling breezes that help preserve acidity and freshness in the grapes.

Decoding the Label

Portuguese wine labels can sometimes feel intimidating, but once you

understand them, they tell you a great deal about what's inside the bottle.

Vale do Homem – The producer.

Vinho Verde DOC – Indicates the wine comes from the protected Vinho Verde Denomination of Origin.

Sub-Região do Cávado – Identifies the specific sub-region within Vinho Verde where the grapes were grown.

Loureiro – The grape variety used to make the wine.

Unlike many New World wines that prominently display the grape on the front label, Portuguese wines often emphasize the region first. Learning to identify names like Loureiro, Alvarinho, Arinto, and Trajadura can open the door to discovering some of Portugal's exciting wines.

The Grapes of Vinho Verde

One of the fascinating aspects of Vinho Verde is the wide variety of indigenous Portuguese grapes grown throughout the region. Some of the most common white varieties include:

• Loureiro – Aromatic with floral, citrus, and stone fruit notes.

• Alvarinho – aromatic white grape known for its crisp acidity, bright citrus and stone fruit flavors. Called Albariño from neighboring Spain.

• Arinto – Known for vibrant acidity and citrus character.

• Trajadura – Adds softness and fruitiness to blends.

• Avesso – Fuller-bodied with tropical fruit notes.

This bottling highlights Loureiro, its fragrant aromatics and refreshing acidity. It is one of the signature varieties of the Lima and Cávado areas and shines particularly well when bottled on its own.

Food Pairings

The bright acidity and slight effervescence make this wine incredibly food-friendly.

Perfect pairings include:

• Fresh oysters

• Steamed clams

• Shrimp cocktail

• Grilled scallops

• Sushi and sashimi

• Fish tacos

• Summer salads

• Goat cheese

• Grilled vegetables

• Lemon herb chicken

Its refreshing character also makes it a wonderful aperitif on a warm afternoon, enjoyed simply with good company, by the pool, ocean, on the boat, just anywhere.

A Spritz of Vinho Verde

Nothing like a nice light refreshing Vinho Verde on a hot summers day.  Vinho Verde, a Portuguese wine that means green wine.  The term green is meant young. The time to enjoy is in their youth.  Now that's the wine how about the grapes that make the wine?

First let me take you to the Northwest of Portugal where the wine region is  located just south of the city of Porto. With the Minho River in the North and the mountainous areas in the East and South they form a nice border between the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. The climate receives much maritime influences.

Now the grapes!  Vinho Verde can actually be red, white or rose.  For the purpose of the wine I tasted, we'll talk about the grapes that go into the white wine.  These grapes are indigenous to Portugal...Ya ready..the grapes that make up the blend are Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso and Azal. Just like any blend, each grape brings their character to the wine. Did I mention the wine is slightly spritzy.  Yes, it tends to have about 1% carbonation.  Just enough to feel it on your palate and make the wine refreshing.

The Vinho Verde that passed my palate was a 2011 Gazela Vinho Verde from Gaia, Portugal.  The alcohol
content was fairly low at 9%.  It had nice color and was a tad spritzy.  It was light and fresh.  Apricot on the nose and hints of tangerine and lime on the palate.  The finish was pretty abrupt.  Just ended quickly.

This was a great buy at..are you ready...$5.49