Atlantic Green Wines
The municipality of Esposende, belonging to large demarcated region of Vinho Verde and Cávado sub-region (Esposende, Barcelos, Braga, Vila Verde, Amares and Terras de Bouro) reveals some important features.
It is important to reaffirm the originality of Vinho Verde in Portuguese and world wine scene. Vinho Verde in fact occupies a very special and unique place in the context of Portuguese wines. Since the XVIII century that the Portuguese wines are classified in Green and Mature, which prove the genuineness of the inimitable wine from this land of Entre Douro and Minho.
It is time to say what has the Vinho Verde, which distinguishes them from the others. The Vinho Verde is a natural reflection of the peculiarities of the geographical area between the sea and the mountains. It has an intimate connection of natural factors - topography, soil and unique a climate – and the way portuguesse are. It is doubtless the most regional portrays of the Portuguese of the North West part of the country.
For many people it is amazing wine production in a county that spreads along the refreshing waters of the Atlantic Ocean. However, there are natural and human reasons that explain this "miracle" of wine at the gate of the sea.
Natural reasons:
The mountain range disposed in N-S alignment between Mount Faro and Mount Crasto, to stop the penetration of moist sea air, gives the appearance of small mesoclima grants favorable to Vineyard;
A half topography slope well exposed to the sun and a sandy and poor soil;
A mild mesoclima marked by softness temperatures.
Human reasons:
The selection and cultivation of unique grape varieties, including Loureiro white grape variety, while in the red wines we have Casta Vinhão able to provide wines with lots of color;
The great vegetative expansion help to trace the profile of these wines, where we can highlight:
Purity - wine that is a reflection of nature, without deceit or artificialisms;
Simplicity - the very creased character of simple and intense fruit flavors (citrus fruit) and flowers (freesia, rose and lantana);
The extreme Freshness - a fixed acidity denoting a slow maturation, able to keep track of a considerable wealth of sugar, a high content of organic acids;
Softness - wine not aggressive, the softness and elegance make it the nectar that gives drink to the soul, a happy expression of António Augusto de Aguiar.
In general you can characterize white wines as intense floral scent (notes of freesia and rose) and fruity from wine variety from Loureiro, a dry wine with lots of character, able to be dazzled by its freshness and elegant body. Especially for seafood, fish dishes such as sea bass, sea bream and hake preferably grilled or baked meat of poultry (chicken roasted field) and soft cheeses such as "Camembert". In the years of great maturity this variety also allows to obtain a wine appetizer to serve before meals or between them. The red wine Vinhão, has an intense aroma of wild berries and color, acidic taste, fresh and light, good company for the Minho cuisine, in particular sarrabulho rice, roasted lamb, catfish and in general for all dishes of red meat.
João Costa Leme