Beyond the Usual Bottles is our introductory series on the wine regions that do not get the airtime they deserve. Each class focuses on a single county or region, walks through the grapes and styles worth knowing, and covers what makes the place distinct.
No background required. Come curious.
Vinho Verde sits in the lush green northwest corner of Portugal, where the Atlantic keeps things cool and wet and the vines climb high off the ground on old-style pergolas. Most Americans know the region through inexpensive, lightly sparkling bottles built for hot afternoons. Fine for what they are, but only a sliver of the story.
We taste through the region's serious side. Single-varietal wines with the tension and depth to rival any Riesling. Blends built for the dinner table rather than the pool. Along the way we cover the subregions worth knowing, why the wines run so low in alcohol, and how a category most drinkers underestimate turns out to be one of the best values in Europe.