No wine improves poolside hangs, beach coolers, and patio happy hours quite like Vinho Verde. While the region at the northwestern tip of Portugal makes wines of all colors, it’s the white (or branco) bottlings that have made Vinho Verde synonymous with refreshing, please-cool-me-off quaffing.
Vinho Verde is really everything you want in a summer white: light on the palate and low in alcohol, with crisp acidity, lemon-lime aromas, and often a touch of effervescence, at a serious bargain — there are lots of excellent bottles for $20 or less. And quality is only getting better as growing interest from the global market (not to mention Portugal’s quick ascent to being one of the hottest vacation destinations in the world) has reinvigorated winemaking in the region.
“Vinho Verde is a wine that can be light and playful or structured and serious,” says Julianne Alencar, general manager and beverage director at Leitao, a Portuguese restaurant in New York City. “But beyond its easygoing nature, many producers are now showcasing the complexity Vinho Verde can achieve by aging the wine on lees or in oak, giving it more texture and depth while still keeping that signature liveliness.”
This bracing white wine is made from grapes indigenous to the region, among them Alvarinho (often vinified on its own and more commonly known in the U.S. by its Spanish name, Albariño), Loureiro, and Arinto, along with lesser-known grapes like Trajadura and Avesso; most often, Vinhos Verdes are blends. Read on for 12 great bottles to grab now.
Alvarinhos
2023 Aveleda Solos de Granito ($20)
The Vinho Verde DOC is known for granite-rich soils that can impart a lovely minerality to wines like this one. Winemaker Carla Moura uses lees contact (lees are spent yeasts from fermentation) to add texture and ages the wine in stainless steel. It’s richer than many Alvarinhos, with lemon and fennel flavors that get even better as it goes along.
2024 Soalheiro Clássico Alvarinho ($21)
In the 1970s, the Cerdeira family planted entire vineyards of Alvarinho in the northern sub-region of Melgaço. And good thing: Soalheiro wines do not miss. Its Alvarinhos are some of the most elegant Vinhos Verdes around, and the entry-level Clássico bottling is no exception. Expect green mango, lemon zest, and a ton of texture.
2023 Symington Family Estates Casa de Rodas Alvarinho ($30)
Known best for its port wines, the Symington family tapped winemaker Anselmo Mendes to make the brand’s first Vinho Verde. It comes from Casa de Rodas, an estate in Monção founded in 1566, and is richer and riper than most brancos, balancing notes of spice, lemon peel, yellow grapefruit, and grassy herbs.
2022 Luis Seabra Granito Cru Alvarinho ($65)
With tangerine, lemongrass, and seashell aromas, this complex white proves that Vinho Verde can be poured for special occasions, too. Luis Seabra’s terroir-driven line of cru wines showcases the best vineyards in the region; his lovely Granito Cru Alvarinho is, as its name suggests, made from grapes grown in granite soils only.
Jennifer Causey / FOOD STYLING by EMILY NABORS HALL / PROP STYLING by JULIA BAYLESS
Loureiro and white blends
NV Espiral Vinho Verde ($5)
Found at a Trader Joe’s near you, this Vinho Verde is the definition of cheap and cheerful. It has plenty of grapefruit-and-lime acidity and sparkly bubbles, and it’s around 9% alcohol. That makes it perfect for long days at the beach, or by the pool, or really anywhere sunny you can think of.
2023 Quinta da Lixa Escudo Real Vinho Verde ($10)
Quinta da Lixa’s clear instructions on the front of this bottle should be obeyed: “Drink very chilled.” It’s totally refreshing, with green apple and lemon-lime ice pop notes. And at just 9.5% alcohol, it’s easygoing and delicious — a lunchtime go-to.
2022 Quinta de Curvos Superior ($12)
A blend of the local grapes Loureiro, Trajadura, and Arinto, this lighthearted white is best served by popping it in the fridge right after you buy it and enjoying it as soon as it’s cold. It brims with tropical fruit — like a plate of banana and papaya served with a big squeeze of lime.
2024 Quinta da Raza Raza Branco ($13)
The Teixeira Coelho family, winemakers in the subregion of Basto for more than 250 years, makes this fizzy, lively wine. It has punchy flavors of grapefruit soda and watermelon candy without any sweetness, and its easy-open screw-top closure makes it ideal for summer.
2023 Anselmo Mendes Pássaros Loureiro ($15)
Look for the label with playful green birds to find this zesty wine. (Pássaros means “birds” in Portuguese.) The mouthwatering citrus-and-salt character here is an instant reminder of Vinho Verde’s seaside setting; drink this with simple grilled fish topped with lemon and chile flakes.
2023 Vera Vinho Verde Branco ($15)
An Arinto-dominant blend, this Vinho Verde combines the lemon-beeswax notes and thirst-quenching acidity of the Arinto variety with aromas of lime, green tea, and herbs from Azal and Loureiro. Made from hand-harvested fruit, it’s far more elegant than its price suggests.
2024 Quinta de Lourosa Escolha Vinho Verde ($16)
Located about 25 miles from the bustling city of Porto, this picturesque winery offers stunning accommodations in a 17th-century house. And it makes excellent wine: Quinta de Lourosa’s classic branco blend is bursting with lemon, lime, and tangerine notes.
2023 Asnella Superior ($20)
Zesty yellow grapefruit, not-too-ripe pineapple, and Meyer lemon are on display in this vibrant white. Those flavors are seasoned by the wine’s salinity; it evokes the sea. Pair it with salty seafood like mussels, shrimp, clams, or raw oysters spritzed with lemon.