With temperatures in the 80s this week, I am in the mood for a wine that is lower alcohol but does not skimp on flavor.  Looking towards the Iberian peninsula, I spot two of my summer stand-bys:  Vinho Verde and Txacolina.

Vinho Verde is a not a grape varietal; it is a region in Northwestern Portugal (historically, the Minho region, although that has been expanded) with a maritime climate.  Vinho Verde translates to “green wine,” the “green” adjective not referring to color, but to youth.  They are usually white, but can also be rosé or red, and are made to be drunk soon after bottling.  

They have a touch of fizz (“pétillance”), either from in-bottle malolactic fermentation (historically) or from injecting carbon dioxide (modern).   The white wines are fresh and fruity, being high in acid (ergo, a good match for food) and low in alcohol, usually clocking in between 8.5% and 11% abv. 

The grapes used for the white versions are usually Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso, and Azal.  There is a subset made from Alvarinho grapes, which is labeled Vinho Alvarinho that is higher in alcohol and slightly more expensive.  And by more expensive, I mean $10 a bottle as opposed to $6 a bottle.  Did I mention most have screwcaps?  Hello, patio wine!

The most widely available one in this area is produced by Quinta da Aveleda.  Vintages don’t really matter, although unlike with other wines, old does not mean better with vinho verde.  I’m sure you’ve noticed the pretty green bottle on the shelves, and thought $6?  It can’t be any good.  You’d be wrong.  This is one cheap bottle of wine I would not turn up my nose at if you brought it to the table.  Apples, pears and citrus with a touch of zingy pétillance, this pairs especially well with shellfish.  I served it with prosciutto and asparagus risotto and shrimp on Mother’s Day, and it cut through the creaminess of the risotto without overly-challenging the shrimp.  $6 at Wineworks and Canal’s Bottlestop.

Broadbent is another dependable producer in the $6 a bottle range, and there are many more in the $6-10 range.  

The second wine low alcohol wine I love to drink in the summer is Txakolina, a slightly fizzy wine from the Basque region in Northeast Spain.  It is €4 in Spain, but for some reason, I can’t find it for under $16 in the USA anymore.  Txakoli can be white or rosé, and is dramatically poured from high above the glass by bartenders to accentuate the fizz.  Txakolina pairs perfectly with the €1 pintxos (tapas) you’re making a dinner out of during your wine bar crawl of San Sabastián, or the chunk of Manchego you’re improvising with in New Jersey.  Ameztoi – Txakoli Getariako Txakolina 2016 is $16 a bottle at Wineworks, and the rose version, Ameztoi – Txakoli Rubentis Rose 2016, is $18 a bottle.

Enjoy your refreshing patio wines, and your summer!  Topa!