Grape in the spotlight
Alvarinho: the white trump card of northern Portugal
Alvarinho is Portugal's best-known white grape. It grows mainly in the far north, along the Minho, the river that forms the border with Spain. It makes aromatic, fresh wine with more body and length than you would expect from a classic vinho verde.
Alvarinho at a glance
| Origin | North-west Portugal and Spanish Galicia, where it is called Albariño |
|---|---|
| Main region | Vinho Verde, especially the Monção e Melgaço subregion |
| Plantings | 3,734 ha (2025), Portugal's fourth white grape. In the Vinho Verde only Loureiro is more widely planted. |
| In the vineyard | Thick skins that protect the grape against the humid Atlantic climate |
| Taste | Citrus, white peach and apricot, fresh acidity and often a salty finish |
| Styles | Still and dry, with or without oak, sparkling and in rosé |
Read more about the other Portuguese grapes in our overview of Portuguese grape varieties.
Monção e Melgaço: the warm corner of the Vinho Verde
The Vinho Verde is a green, wet region, but Monção e Melgaço is an exception. This subregion lies inland on the left bank of the Minho, sheltered behind the hills. It is warmer and drier than on the coast. The vineyards climb from the river up into the hills, on stony alluvial soils and above all granite.
Here Alvarinho ripens more fully than elsewhere in the region. The wine is fuller and fruitier than the Albariño from Rías Baixas across the river, yet keeps its freshness. Winemakers do not need to soften the acidity. Because it is the local speciality, Alvarinho is made here in every possible way: in stainless steel, in oak, in chestnut or clay, as sparkling wine and even as a late harvest.
In our range, you hear those differences best with two neighbours from Monção e Melgaço: Soalheiro and Anselmo Mendes. Both make a whole series of wines from one grape, from a juicy entry-level wine to a single-plot wine.
Alvarinho or vinho verde?
Many people associate vinho verde with a light, slightly sparkling summer wine with little alcohol. Alvarinho does not fit that picture. It easily reaches 12 to 13 per cent alcohol, is usually not spritzy and has more length. That is why the label often shows the grape in large letters and the region in small ones.
Alvarinho is also blended with other grapes from the region. With Loureiro the wine becomes more floral and lighter, with Avesso a little rounder. Such blends are often the most accessible way to get to know the style of the north.
What does Alvarinho taste like?
Served young, you smell citrus, white peach, apricot and sometimes a hint of tropical fruit or blossom. On the palate Alvarinho is fresh but not sharp, with a firm core and often a slightly salty, mineral finish. Wines from granite are tauter; wines aged on their lees feel rounder and creamier.
With oak ageing Alvarinho moves towards a fuller, more gastronomic style, with notes of hazelnut and brioche over the fruit. That remains the exception: most Alvarinho is made to be drunk young, when fruit and freshness come first.
What to eat with Alvarinho?
Alvarinho is made for fish and seafood. Think of grilled sea bass, oysters, mussels or garlic prawns, and of ceviche or sushi. Thanks to its freshness and volume, Alvarinho can also handle spicier food: a mild Thai coconut curry, steamed dumplings, or chicken with lemon and thyme.
A Belgian classic that works wonderfully: asparagus Flemish-style, with butter and egg. The acidity of the wine cuts through the butter, and the fruit keeps the egg in check. For oak-aged Alvarinho, choose something richer, such as turbot with beurre blanc or poultry in a cream sauce.
Looking for a wine to go with a particular dish? Try our wine and food guide.
Alvarinho outside the Vinho Verde
Alvarinho is increasingly planted elsewhere in Portugal too, from the Douro to the Alentejo, mostly to bring freshness to a blend. Across the border, in Galicia, there is even more of this grape, as Albariño, than in Portugal. It now also grows in California, Oregon, Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay, and has been permitted in France since 2010.
Our wines with Alvarinho
From pure Alvarinho from Monção e Melgaço to blends from other regions. Each bottle shows which grapes it is made from.
Pure Alvarinho from Monção e Melgaço
Alvarinho with Loureiro and other northerners
Bubbles and rosé
Alvarinho outside the Vinho Verde
Frequently asked questions about Alvarinho
Is Alvarinho the same as Albariño?
Yes, it is the same grape. In Portugal it is called Alvarinho, in Spain Albariño. The Portuguese version from Monção e Melgaço is usually slightly fuller and fruitier, the one from Spain's Rías Baixas often a little leaner.
Is Alvarinho a vinho verde?
Often, yes: most Alvarinho comes from the Vinho Verde and carries that name on the label. But the style differs from the light, spritzy vinho verde many people know. Alvarinho is fuller, has more alcohol and is usually not spritzy.
At what temperature should you serve Alvarinho?
Around 8 to 10 °C. Oak-aged Alvarinho can be served a little warmer, around 10 to 12 °C.
Can you age Alvarinho?
Most Alvarinho is best drunk within one or two years of the harvest. Top cuvées such as the single-plot wines of Anselmo Mendes can go longer, but they too are delicious young.
Plantings: IVV, castas mais utilizadas 2025 (ivv.gov.pt). Background on Alvarinho and Monção e Melgaço: The Oxford Companion to Wine, via JancisRobinson.com.