Minho, formerly Rios do Minho, is a

Portuguese wine Portuguese wine was mostly introduced by the Romans (wine), 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 ...

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 ...

'' 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 ''V ...

to be used that are excluded from the ''

Denominação de Origem Controlada The denominação de origem controlada (or DOC) is the system of protected designation of origin for fruit, wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products from Portugal. Wines Portuguese wine regions, as well as producers of several o ...

'' (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, Azal Branco, Azal Tinto, Batoca, Borracal, Brancelho,

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...

Espadeiro Espadeiro is a red Portuguese wine grape (wine), grape planted primarily in the Minho VR, Minho region for making Vinho Verde. It is also grown across the border, in Galicia (wine), Galicia (Spain (wine), Spain) where it is used to make body (w ...

, Loureiro,

Merlot Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color ...

, Padreiro de Basto, Pedral,

Rabo de Ovelha Rabo de Ovelha (Portuguese language, 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. R ...

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 ...

, Trajadura and Vinhão.

References

Wine regions of Portugal {{Portugal-stub

Grapes

See also

References