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Vinho Verde means 'green wine' in Portuguese, but its name is a reference to its age (young) rather than its color (a pale yellow). Here's a quick primer on what you need to know about this light, crisp summertime favorite:
1. It's all northern Portugal: Vinho Verde comes from a region in the northernmost part of Portugal, along the border of Spain and the Atlantic coast, that's home to 15% of the country's vineyards.
The wine — the country's second-most popular, trailing only port — is made from a mélange of local grape varieties, including Loureiro and Paderna, that are seldom heard of outside of the area.
2. Light, even in alcohol: Because the grapes used to make Vinho Verde are low in sugar, the wine is light and fresh on the palate and low in alcohol as well. In fact, Portuguese wine authorities regulate this: The Vinho Verde label is not allowed on wines whose alcohol content exceeds 11.5%.
3. The prickle: Vinho Verde has a tiny carbonated bite that locals describe as a 'prickle.' In the past, the prickle came about in the natural fermentation process, but these days winemakers sometimes inject a bit of carbon dioxide at the time of bottling to ensure the same effect.
4. Fresh is best: Because the wines are meant to be drunk young, don't bother aging or seeking out old vintages. In fact, Vinho Verde is best enjoyed as close as possible to the day the bottles left the vineyard. Most winemakers even print the bottling date, rather than a vintage, on the label so consumers can find the freshest Vinho on the shelves.
5. Cheap and cheerful: Vinho Verde bottles rarely cost more than US$20 at local wine shops; often they go for less than US$10. Thanks to its lighter nature, it's a good choice for a summertime picnic party or any meal involving simple seafood. And if you travel to the former Portuguese colony of Macau, head to a Macanese restaurant and order up a plate of sautéed clams along with a bottle of Verde for the perfect match.
參考譯文：
1. 全部產自葡萄牙北部。Vinho Verde來自葡萄牙最北部沿著西班牙邊界和大西洋海岸的一個地區。這個國家15%的葡萄園分布在那里。
Vinho Verde——在葡萄牙的受歡迎程度僅次于波爾圖葡萄酒——用該地區生長的各種葡萄釀制，其中包括Loureiro和Paderna這兩種外界人很少聽說的葡萄。
2. 清淡，酒精含量也很低：因為用以釀制Vinho Verde的葡萄糖分含量很低，所以這種酒品口味清爽甘冽，而且酒精含量也很低。事實上，葡萄牙的葡萄酒管理部門規定：酒精含量超過11.5%的葡萄酒就不得標上“Vinho Verde”的標識了。
3. “麻刺”感：Vinho Verde略微有一點類似碳酸飲料的口感，當地人稱之為“麻刺”（prickle）。過去，這種口感是在自然發酵過程中形成的。當下，釀酒廠在將葡萄酒裝瓶的時候充入一點二氧化碳，以起到同樣的效果。
4. 新鮮為王：因為這類葡萄酒是在釀制不久后就要喝的，因此不要久存，也不要青睞陳釀。離開葡萄園時間越短的Vinho Verde越好喝。大多數葡萄酒釀造商甚至在瓶子上列印裝瓶日期，而不是年份，以方便顧客從貨架上找到最新鮮的Vinho Verde。
5. 價廉物美：在當地葡萄酒商店里，每瓶Vinho Verde售價很少超過20美元，一般售價往往不到10美元。因為清淡的緣故，這類酒是夏季野餐派對和簡易海鮮餐的理想選擇。如果你在曾經是葡萄牙殖民地的澳門旅行，去澳門人開的餐館用餐的話，那么，一盤炒蛤蜊和一瓶Vinho Verde就是絕佳的搭配。
