Albariño from Rias Baixas is one of the most popular Spanish wines we sell, but the region just across the border in Portugal – Vinho Verde – remains somewhat undiscovered by comparison. Vinho Verde built its reputation on inexpensive, fizzy whites that were also often off-dry – uncomplicated, simple and straightforward wines made from a blend of indigenous grapes, easy to drink but not necessarily very memorable. In recent years, however, a new category of Vinho Verde has emerged, focused mainly on the Alvarinho (a.k.a. Albariño) grape made in a more serious style: still, bone dry and driven by minerality. And no producer has done more to elevate this style of Vinho Verde than Soalheiro. Founded in the 1970s, they planted the first contiguous Alvarinho vineyard in the prestigious sub-region of Monção and Melgaço. This part of Portugal is just a stone’s throw from Rias Baixas – Soalheiro’s winery is less than a mile from the Spanish border – and much of what makes Rias Baixas special holds true for Vinho Verde as well: proximity to the Atlantic Ocean; warm, sunny days; and cool, misty nights. The resulting wine highlights why Alvarinho is just so delicious. Incredibly racy on the palate, with mouthwatering acidity, the 2025 Alvarinho bursts from the glass with notes of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and lime zest, as well as celery leaf, tarragon and of course, significant aromas of sea spray. On the palate, peach and apricot flavors emerge, and the overall feel of the wine mineral-driven, lean and very fresh, not unlike sitting by the ocean on a windy day. The finish is squeaky clean and bone dry, inviting another sip. Obvious food pairings would be oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail or anything with crab, but this wine is also delicious on its own. If you haven’t yet tried the Portuguese twin of the more well-known Spanish variety across the border, I highly recommend trying a bottle of the Soalheiro – it might just become your favorite example of Alvarinho/Albariño!

One of my favorite producers of this varietal (no matter which language you prefer to spell it with). I am particularly charmed with this vintage. It feels a touch lighter and a little more focused than the last few. It has the classic aromatics and flavors with just a little more pop! Mouth-watering acidity pulls the wine to a long finish that expresses its Portuguese origins through the tenor of its minerality.

The first striking thing about this bottling is the very pretty and super fresh nose of citrus fruits, key lime, sea salt and creamy stone fruits. The saltiness and concentrated citrus come through even more so on the palate. Tart and tangy, with green lime, a little peach pit, lemon verbena, Anjou pear cream. The finish is very long, precise and clean. This is a great go-to wine for fish and chips, seared scallops, crabcakes and a good old-fashioned salami sandwich on sourdough bread!