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A Bright Portuguese White for Summer
Aveleda Vinho Verde Fonte 2009
My go-to choice for a crisp, minerally white wine to drink with seafood appetizers usually comes from Spain, either an Albariño from Galicia or Txakolina from the Basque region. Both regions border on the Atlantic Ocean, a signal that over the years winegrowers have targeted flavors and textures ideal for seafood.
The big Portuguese family-owned winery Aveleda is not far from Galicia, on the Portugal side of the border facing the Atlantic Ocean. The style of wine is similar—crisp, with bright acidity, vivid fruit flavors and a tangy finish. It makes a perfect wash-down for seafood appetizers, such as the smoked sea scallops and ahi egg rolls on the creative menu at 626 on Rood, a wine bar and restaurant in Grand Junction, Colo.
The winery’s fresh, lively Vinho Verde Fonte 2009, a blend of local varieties, was listed under the wine bar’s “Summer Bright” flight. At $10.50 for an 8 1/2-ounce pour, it certainly set some sparks going on our palates. It cut right through the seafood flavors. The fruit popped, offering green apple, peach and mineral flavors, finishing slightly spritzy. It was a notch up from simple and refreshing, and I rated it 86 points, non-blind.
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