The Dog Days of Summer begin in mid-July coinciding with the heliacal (meaning “at sunrise”) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius and can last until mid-September. Spend these last precious summer days sipping on Vinho Verde wines. These wines are among my favorite warm weather wines because they have a light effervescence. From Portugal, they are known as “green wines” and have lower alcohol content for easy sippin’. The region where these grapes are grown is along the Atlantic Coast of Spain known as the “Costa Verde or “Green Coast.”
Brian Powell, owner of Wine Gourmet, explains that we can think of Vinho Verde much the same as Beaujolais Nouveau as it should be drunk very young. Most of the best wines are made from Alvarinho, the same as Spain’s Albariño. However, there are many other indigenous grapes that are also used, including Loueiro, Trajadura, Azal and Pederna. Make sure you serve these wines icy cold and keep the bottle on ice while you are enjoying the wine.
Here are my recommendations for three refreshing Vinho Verdes to try while the sun is still high in the sky. A refreshing note about these wines…vinho verde wines are often not expensive, generally under $20 a bottle and some as reasonable as $10 a bottle.
The first wine is for sipping. I get a kick out of the name of the Vinho Verde with the very recognizable label ~ “Gatão” ~ which is the Spanish word for cat. It’s fun to drink gatão wine during the dog days of summer! Citrus notes with a touch of pineapple and a nice little bit of effervescence. I recommend this if you like a little sweetness in your wine. Available at Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar $10 a bottle.
The next wine is best to pair with Thai or Indian food. Anne Amie Cuvée A Amrita 2016. Bill Phillips, owner Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar calls this wine “Vinho Verde on steroids” it is actually a domestic white wine from Willamette Valley. The name Amrita comes from the Buddhist equivalent of ambrosia, or a wine of the gods. Pinot Blanc Blend. Notes of golden delicious apples, honey and kumquat. The finish is refreshingly off-dry. Available at Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar $17 a bottle.
La Lilas Vinho Verde. A beautiful Calla Lily is on the front of the bottle. It is one of my favorite flowers. I carried these lilies as my bridal bouquet. Very light with fresh crisp acidity. Notes of pear, peach and a little tingle of sparkle in every sip.This is not a pairing wine because food would overwhelm it. It sips so smoothly that you barely even know it’s there. Available at Wine Gourmet $10 a bottle.
About the Writer:
Following her career in healthcare dining and nutrition management, Becky Ellis followed her passion to create Bubblybee, a champagne and food blog. Her motto is “Don’t wait to celebrate! Pop the cork now!” She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative recipes and champagne tasting notes at bubblybee.net and Instagram @bubblybeeboop.
