Aveleda’s 92-point Wine & Spirits classic Vinho Verde “Quinta da Aveleda” is recommended as a light, refreshing, food-friendly summer wine!

Watch the video now…

Located in the provinces of Monção and Melgaço, the Alvarinho grape stands out as one of the most sought after Vinho Verde varietal.

Grown in the northern region of the Vinho Verde, the Alvarinho grape is found in medium to full-bodied clusters, producing a wine with an 11 to 12 alcohol percentage, two to three percentage points higher than most other Vinho Verde sub-regions.

Its thick skin and low-yield has more body than most Vinho Verdes, producing an intense, fruity aroma, an “apply” taste, and little sparkle. A bottle of this wine can be expensive when considering the “rarity” and low production levels of the grape.

To taste the wine at its best, you will have to wait 18 months after the harvest. As one of the best of the “Green Wines,” the Alvarinho has spread in fame and should be considred a first choice among wines from the Vinho Verde region.

Check out Aveleda Alvarinho, which won 92 Points from Wine & Spirits.

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Harvest time in the farm of the Knights Templars (Quinta do Cavalinho) near Tomar.

The high quality grapes were picked by hand and carefully chosen and processed into the fermantation tanks.

Here is a small video that shows a bit of the harvest in the farm of the Knights Templars.

Out of the 5,726 wine entrants that competed at the 2009 Mundusvini International Wine competition, Vidigal Wines was one of the few to place for three of their entered wines.

The 2005 Vidigal Dão, the 2005 Brutalis, and the 2007 Vidigal Reserva each won a silver medal. All of Vidigal Wines’ 6 entries scored above an average of eighty out of one hundred, a great feat for the company. The categories each wine was meticulously judged in comprised of Aroma, Taste, and Overall Impression.

Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde (only $8.99) continues to garner awards and recognition for its crisp, fresh taste and amazing quality. Watch the video and find out why!

As a top Vinho Verde, it goes perfectly with seafood or past and pairs particularly well with shellfish and oysters. It is a light and slightly effervescent wine that can be served with a light dinner just as well as with lunch. Serve chilled.

Aveleda sponsors Clean Feed NYC Jazz Festival

Smooth jazz AND award-winning Vinho Verde wine – the perfect combination!

Aveleda, one of the top Vinho Verde producers in Portugal, is sponsoring the Clean Feed Festival in Manhattan.

Attend this wonderful event and get an authentic taste of Portugal: guests will have the opportunity of sipping Aveleda’s 90-point Wine & Spirits vinho verde, the Quinta da Aveleda 2008, to the cool sounds of live jazz.

Aveleda CEO António Guedes (who is also the fourth-generation descendant of Avelda’s founder) says it is important to support such a wonderful cultural and musical event as Clean Feed. “Fine music and fine wine go hand in hand!”

> More info on the festival…

> More info about the wine…

The Portuguese Vinho Verde, literally translated into Green wine, is not actually green! Actually it can be red, white or rosé (being a horse and partially color-blind, I have to take the experts’ word.)

Casal Garcia is one of the best-selling Vinho Verdes in the world

The name refers to the fact that it’s consumed when the wine is young, usually within 1 year. Vinho Verdes are typically light and fresh and usually feature fruity and floral aromas as well as a lemon or straw color. With low alcohol content of 9% to 11% and natural acidity, Vinho Verde also features slight carbonation that’s enough to tickle your throat but not enough to be considered a sparkling wine.

Vinho Verdes should be served well-chilled, around 50ºF, and are typically paired well with light salads, shrimp, scallops, clams, and light fish.

Vidigal Reserva dos Amigos is recommended in the South Coast Today column “Grape Expectations” as an excellent 4th of July wine! Read more…

Bonifacio Aragonez

Caves Bonifácio’s Aragonez Receives Distinguished Prémio Prestigio Award at Concurso Nacional!

Bonifácio Aragonez Regional Estremadura Red Wine 2007 received a 96.5 score and the Prestige Award at Portugal’s top wine competition Concurso Nacional de Vinhos Engarrafados 2009.

Only 6 other wines out of the 500 which entered the competition received the award, the highest mark of distinction bestowed in the competition, which was held May 12-15 in Santarém, Portugal.

In addition, other wines from the Caves Bonifácio got the following respected medals:

• Silver Medal – Encosta da Tapada Estremadura Red Wine 2007
• Silver Medal – Caves Bonifácio Cabernet Sauvignon Estremadura Red Wine 2007
• Silver Medal – Caves Bonifácio Alicante Bouschet + Aragonez Estremadura Red Wine 2007.

The Blind-Tasting Jury comprises of 200 wine professionals, including oenologists, restaurant professionals, journalists and sommeliers of national and international renown. Wines with 78 to 88 points receive the Silver Medal, and those with 89 to 100 points the Gold Medal. A Final Jury awarded the Prestige Award to 7 wines chosen from the Gold Medal winners with more than 95 points.

“We are a smaller family-owned winery, so for us these awards are quite significant,” says António Pereira, the winery’s director. “It goes to show our strong passion for producing superior wines.”

Bonifácio’s top wines are produced using the EU’s Biological Production guidelines, the equivalent of Organic in the U.S.  The vines are grown in shallow and low fertility soils in order to diminish the production, thus improving the quality of the grape. They are not watered to prevent the decreasing of tannins. No herbicides or chemical fertilizers are used. No enzymes or agents are used in the aging process.