Minho, formerly Rios do Minho, is a

Portuguese wine Portuguese wine was mostly introduced by the Romans and other ancient Mediterranean peoples who traded with local coastal populations, mainly in the South. In pre-Roman Gallaecia-Lusitania times, the native peoples only drank beer and were unfami ...

region covering the same areas as the Vinho Verde DOC.ViniPortugal: Wine Regions
accessed on January 26, 2010 The region is classified as a '' Vinho Regional'' (VR), a designation similar to a French ''

vin de pays ''Vin de pays'' (, "country wine") was a French wine classification that was above the '' vin de table'' classification, but below the ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) classification and below the former ''vin délimité de qualité s ...

'' region. The wines of the Minho and Vinho Verde are nearly identical except for the Minho VR allowing foreign

grape varieties This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...

to be used that are excluded from the '' Denominação de Origem Controlada'' (DOC) regulations for Vinho Verde. T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 329-333 Dorling Kindersley 2005

Grapes

The principal grapes of the Minho region include Alvarinho,

Arinto Arinto or Arinto de Bucelas is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Bucelas, Tejo and Vinho Verde regions. It can produce high acid wines with lemon notes. Synonyms Arinto is also known by the synonyms Arintho, Arintho du Dao, ...

Avesso Avesso is a white Portuguese wine grapeAvesso

Azal Branco, Azal Tinto, Batoca, Borracal, Brancelho, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay,

Espadeiro Espadeiro is a red Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Minho region for making Vinho Verde. It is also grown across the border, in Galicia (Spain) where it is used to make light bodied wines.J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Co ...

, Loureiro, Merlot, Padreiro de Basto, Pedral,

Rabo de Ovelha Rabo de Ovelha (Portuguese for "Sheep's tail") is white Portuguese wine grape variety that is grown all over Portugal. It should not be confused with the red Rabo de Anho grape variety that is found in the Vinho Verde region. Rabo de Ovelha is an ...

Riesling Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...

, Trajadura and Vinhão.

References

Wine regions of Portugal {{Portugal-stub

Grapes

See also

References