Portuguese sparkling wine

Finest sparkling wine from Portugal

The high quality of the sparkling wine is therefore due to a special production process. The most important ingredient is, of course, the native vines of Portugal. For their "Vinho Espumante" the Portuguese winegrowers like to use the traditional "white trio", Arinto, Bical, Maria Gomes, to which Chardonnay is often added. The famous red "Vinho Espumante" gets a tannic, strong aroma from Touriga, Maria Gomes and Baga grapes. You should definitely try this one - it is incomparable in its kind. Pure sparkling wine, for example, comes from the Gouveio vine.

"Vinho Espumante" gets a lot of time to mature

As with champagne, the base wine pressed from the grapes is filled into sparkling wine bottles for the second fermentation. Sugar and yeast are added and the bottle is tightly closed with a crown cap. Now the wine gets a lot of time to transform into the very special "Vinho Espumante". The Portuguese winegrowers let the wine ferment for up to 40 months. During this process, the yeast gradually converts the sugar in the grapes into alcohol.

The high art of sparkling wine, a tingling "aha-experience

The high art of sparkling wine making becomes apparent when the winemaker begins the so-called "Remuage" after a very precisely determined storage period. This means that the bottles are gently shaken and swivelled. In this process, the residual yeast is conveyed into the bottleneck and then removed. A Portuguese sparkling wine is "degorged" at least once, as the removal of the excess yeast from the bottle is called. For the highest quality "Vinho Espumante", the bottle is even "degorged" twice by hand.
Then the special drop is ready to be enjoyed. Although the Portuguese sparkling wine cannot call itself champagne, but produced according to the méthode champenoise, it promises a sparkling "aha experience".

The Portuguese national dish Leitão

The harsh climate of the Atlantic Ocean and the diversity of the mineral soils can be tasted in the sparkling wines from the main growing area of Bairrada in the north of Portugal. Here a variety of delicious "Vinho Espumante" is produced: white sparkling wine, rosé sparkling wine and red sparkling wine. The Vinho Verde area is especially famous for red sparkling wine. Even if it tastes slightly sour, you should not miss it!
In Portugal, it is an integral part of a special national culinary dish called Leitão. The dry sparkling wine goes wonderfully with crispy roast suckling pig. This combination is on the menus of many restaurants in the region and has made the red "Vinho Espumante" famous.

"Vinho Espumante" - a delight with many main meals

Sparkling wines are party wines or wines for special occasions, did you believe so far? Sure, for special events they are a very good choice. But let the versatility of the "Vinho Espumante" convince you! They are also an excellent match for many main meals. Enjoy it for example with dishes with nutty and smoky flavours. A roasted goose, a sandwich with smoked ham or a roast pork are particularly suited to the nutty and smoky aromas of Portuguese sparkling wine. And the certain creaminess and high acidity do the rest to create a harmonious pleasure. Give it a try!