Top 100 sparkling wines of Minho
Discover the top 100 best sparkling wines of Minho as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the sparkling wines that are popular of Minho and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Minho
Minho is Portugal's Northernmost wine region. It is known for one wine style above all others: crisp, light, white Vinho Verde, whose DOC zone covers the same territory. The Minho name is used for the area's Vinho Regional designation (similar to the French IGP).
The latter's looser production laws allow more diversity in the average winery's portfolio, including red and rosé wines.
Minho VR was formerly known Rios do Minho before the Vinho Regional category was updated in 2008 to fall in line with the EU-wide PGI/IGP/IGT category.
The region is located on the Portugal's Atlantic coast to the north and east of Porto, Portugal's second-largest city and the home of Port. It occupies a roughly rectangular area about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from north to South, which reaches about 50km (30 miles) inland.
There are around 60,000 hectares of vines planted in Minho.
Many of these are dedicated to Vinho Verde, the country's largest DOC.
Minho Grape Varieties
A number of varieties are also found in Spains Rias Baixas region, which Lies immediately to the north. The key grape varieties to be found in white Minho wines include the natives Alvarinho, Avesso, Loureiro, Pederna (Arinto) and Trajadura. Chardonnay and Riesling are the most common international white varieties.
Discover the grape variety: Pinot blanc
Pinot Blanc is a grape variety that originated in Burgundy, mutated from Pinot Gris. Today, it is grown in Alsace where it is called klevner when blended with auxerrois. The continental climate, with its cold winters and hot summers, is particularly suited to pinot blanc. It is resistant to frost in winter and in summer, the roots draw the minerals it needs from the warm soil. Its bunches are made up of small berries with thick skins and melting pulp that produce fruity, spicy wines, balanced between acidity and alcohol. pinot blanc is also used for crémants and sparkling wines. Pinot Blanc is also used for Crémant and sparkling wines. It is widely grown in Italy, where it covers almost 7,000 hectares, and is also found in Germany, Austria, Canada and South Africa.
Food and wine pairing with a sparkling wine of Minho
sparkling wines from the region of Minho go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, mature and hard cheese or shellfish such as recipes of brazilian feijoada, filet mignon stuffed with bacon and comté cheese or traditional tunisian couscous.
Organoleptic analysis of sparkling wine of Minho
On the nose in the region of Minho often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, pineapple or grapefruit and sometimes also flavors of tropical, citrus or apples. In the mouth in the region of Minho is a with a nice vivacity and a fine and pleasant bubble.
