Vinho Verde for Thanksgiving

The holidays are coming up, and with them comes the rush of samples and the flurry of questions about what to pair with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. As always, the answer depends a lot on what you're having for dinner, and I'll get more into my pairing philosophy later on. But with these two bottles of Vinho Verde, you've got a great solution to the eternal problem: "What do I serve to people who don't drink wine on a regular basis?"

I'm not saying that these aren't serious wines--far from it. It's a very traditional wine for that region of Portugal. But they're light, low in alcohol, a little sweet, and non-threatening. There's no aroma of barnyard or tobacco or cough syrup, and when chilled they're really easy to drink. Vinho Verde is perfect for the novice wine drinker or someone who's been scared off by more powerful wines in the past. There's a style of wine out there for just about every occasion, and even I really enjoy this type with turkey and sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

You can also consider the ten other bottles I've reviewed over the years.

2011 Adamado Vinho Verde
Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura
$9, 10% abv.

This is the classic Vinho Verde that most people know: light and slightly fizzy with a crisp, short finish. Low alcohol and a mild body mean that it's light and refreshing. This one has light citrus notes with just a hint of sweetness. This is a great bargain, and with over 100,000 cases made, it shouldn't be too difficult to find.

2011 Cruzeiro Vinho Verde Branco
Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura
$9, 9% abv.

White Vinho Verde is not as well known here in the US. It is drier and not fizzy, but maintains a delicate body and again, low alcohol. This one has very faint earth and mineral aromas with a light body. Rounder mouthfeel than the above with a smooth finish. This would be incredible with milder seafood dishes like a clam chowder or baked trout.


Note: These wines were received as samples.