TN: i don't get it...broadbent Vinho Verde

it was fizzy. what’s that about?
it was NV.
it was like drinking watered down, way watered down, apple juice
it had a bit of a grassy and funky and apple-y nose

it was not as good as a muscadet
it was not as refreshing as a corona


does anyone know anyone who is an expert in portugese still wines (i know, i just can’t help myself)

discuss amongst yourselves

Vinho Verdes should have a little spitz to them. Not like a champagne, just a touch of sparkle. I usually get lemon and lime flavors as well as apple. It’s a pretty refreshing drink in the hot weather. It is pretty light bodied and low alcohol as you found out.
Having said that, I’m not a huge fan of the Broadbent bottling.
Maybe Vinho Verde isn’t for you. I don’t drink a lot of it, but I think it does have its place.

Rob,

I forget the process, but there is some residual CO2 in Vinho Verde, I think it’s trapped because fermentation is arrested.

There are actually some really good Vinho Verdes made from old vines Albarino (Alvarinho) available in NYC from Tri-Vin Imports. Even the most expensive one tops out at about $16. They are worth it. More body, less CO2, closer to Muscadet and definitely better than a Corona!

I drank through a ton of Casal Garcia vinho verde a number of years back b/c it was a light refreshing summer drink and it was $4/bottle. I find that it is much easier to drink than a beer and incredibly cost-effective. The faint sparkling attribute made it more of a “fun” wine as opposed to something to be sipped and thought-provoking.

You drink it very cold on very hot days with these and it is PERFECT:

It is supposed to have spritz. You need to drink these very young. I don’t know this bottling, but I avoid the multi vintage, nonvintage and older than one year bottlings. I can rarely find them locally, but I would only be drinking one marked 2008. That said, these should be refreshing, low in alcohol, and a great way to end the day/start the evening.

Rob

I’ve had a hard time with the fizziness also. The first Vinho Verde I tried was the Muralhas de Monaco a couple years ago. Loved it. Almost every one since was fizzy. Good, but only fizzy and fun. Not that that is bad, just not what I was looking for. And I had a hard time finding the Muralhas again.

So I just found out that K and L had the most recent vintage of the Muralhas and I picked up a bottle. It’s like $16 and every bit as wonderful as I remember. I am told there is the slightest hint of fizz, but I cannot detect it. Zippy and fabulous. Sort of like a muscadet, but better, I think.

The Spanish/Portuguese buyer there also recommended the Ferreira “Soalheiro” Vinho Verde, which is 100% albarino. Also a winner, but a bit rounder and a touch more “fruit-i-ness.” Also, there is no fizz whatsoever.

If you’re interested in giving it another go before totally giving up, you could try either of these. Or don’t and stick with the muscadet which tends to be a winner in my house too.

As an aside, this is my first WB post and I’m not sure if it’s important to say whether or not you are affiliated with a shop when you mention it in a thread. Just in case, I’m not affiliated with K and L, just pumped they have the wine

Also as an aside when I signed up for the board last night I thought it was cool that I was the “most recent member” down at the bottom of the front page. I felt pretty special – I guess it was my 15 minutes of fame [1974_eating_popcorn.gif] Did I use that emoticon right?

Scott

I wouldn’t call myself a Portuguese table wine expert, but I certainly drink more than almost any other American and especially those from the Douro but other regions as well. I am sure that I taste and drink 75-120 bottles a year from Portugal’s DOC table wines.

The Broadbent version of Vinho Verde is a very solid offering at under $10 a bottle. It is very typical of what VV delivers and whether you like it or not Rob, this is exactly what one should look for in Vinho Verde. It literally translates to “green wine” because it is bottled so young, after only several weeks/months in stainless steel. The best come from Alvarinho (sometimes 100%) but they can be blends of other grapes too. I also began with Casal Garcia’s cheap versions in the early 1990s. I have had dozens and even on my recent trip to Portugal had 15 different versions, especially while visiting Madeira where they are really easy to come by.

I know that Vinho Verde is not for everyone and the grassy elements in some of them do not appeal to the masses and the lightly tropical and largely acidic nature is not something that some people enjoy or even understand. But paired with Bacalhau, queijo, frango and many other foods, it is a stellar combo. I like the Broadbent version, and find it soft and easy to approach.

Disclaimer: Broadbent is a personal friend.